


Scarring

by Leticheecopae



Series: Dealings with Demons [4]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Demonic Possession, Demons, Demonstuck, Horror, M/M, Mentions of PTSD, Mild Gore, NSFW, Possession, Violence, mental trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-05-31 17:04:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 49,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6478630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leticheecopae/pseuds/Leticheecopae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave’s been feeding on humans for centuries and has been hunted on and off for just as long; yet out of all of his pursuers this blue eyed hunter is the most fun he’s ever had. Yeah he really should kill him, but he’s not about to let him get away without having a little fun. Maybe the guy will finally put some excitement back into Dave’s humdrum life of the same old screwing and scaring of humans; or maybe he’ll be what gets Dave sent back to hell for punishments like he’s never experienced before.</p><p>(This is a full re-write of the original Scarring series with lots of extra content and has been updated to fit with the rest of the Dealings with Demons series. If you read the original Scarring series then I implore you to read this one.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dreaming Scars

**Author's Note:**

> Hey look! I finally finished this re-write! This story has been entirely updated with around 30-40 pages of extra content in comparison to the original story. Not only that, but you guys get plot now! When I originally wrote this story it wasn't until it was halfway done that I realized it fit in with the Dealings with Demons series and, well, I had to fix it up to match. I hope you guys enjoy it! I'll be updated it every Wednesday until all 6 bits are up. That will give me enough of a cushion to keep that update schedule going with the rest of the Dealings with Demons stories and possibly even LOFAF (which is not dead, I repeat, it is not dead).
> 
> So, please, give it a read. You'll recognize some bits if you read the original and find completely new stuff as well. Not to mention that grammatically this should be much better than the original. If you do find any issues though please feel free to let me know. 
> 
> Now, enjoy Scarring, and remember to salt your walls.
> 
> A thanks to [vocaloidsweetie](vocaloidsweetie.tumblr.com) for the wonderful [8tracks.](http://8tracks.com/vocaloidsweetie/scarring)
> 
> Cover art was done by [Cyanideoreo](http://cyanideoreo.tumblr.com/)

The blue-eyed hunter has been trying to catch Dave for almost two months now and it has been quite interesting to see the way he goes about it. There have been holy water traps, salt circles, flyers on light poles with hidden wards, and countless other ensnarements. To be honest, it’s made Dave’s life interesting again. The last person to try and kill him had ended up with his throat slit and the knife’s hilt shoved up his ass. That had been a fun week, though it had ended much too soon for Dave’s liking. This guy, though, he’s much better than the two-bit hunter from almost a century ago.

“Now what are you up to?” Dave asks the air as he watches John; or Jake, or he could be fucking Jinglehimersmith for all Dave knows; finish up a new trap. He has no idea what the guy’s real name is. He’s heard so many Js thrown around it could be anything. Still, it’s fun to speculate, and watching him set up another trap outside the priest's house Dave dubs him Jesus for the night. 

“He’s got a nice ass doesn’t he?” Dave lets out a little hum of appreciation as the Priest behind him thrashes on the bed. He’s panicking over the nightmare of his flock of parishioners tearing him apart over pedophilia. He’s not actually a pedophile, Dave had learned that easily enough, but knowing that it scares him to think people might accuse him of being one had given Dave plenty of ammunition to turn his wet dream into a nightmare. All it took was the seduction of a blonde haired virgin nun, a few well placed moans and groans, and then in the blink of an eye Dave turned the scene into the priest plowing a ten year old that kept calling him Daddy. 

“I just want to sink my teeth into him,” Dave adds. Jesus has been so good about being quiet. If he hadn’t scared an owl out of a nearby tree Dave wouldn’t have noticed, at least, not for a while. Still, there’s no way the trap would have worked. It had been smart to make a devil’s trap with holy oil, but oil has a smell, and even now Dave is getting a wiff of it as it comes in through the bedroom window. Looks like he’ll have to exit stage right out of another part of the house.

“See you around, Jesus.” Dave chuckles as he turns and heads past the priest. The man lets out a pained cry, and Dave relishes the flavor of it. He’d stick around longer if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s already so full. He should go for weaker fare more often. It wasn’t until the hunter had shown up that Dave realized he had a type. Turns out he was only going after people who looked like they could beat the shit out of him. That is, if he weren’t a demon. It has been a little humbling to know he still goes after body types that mimic his brother’s, but it’s not like it’s a bad thing. His brother is hot after all.

Dave slips through the door of the bedroom and heads down the hall towards the kitchen. Just before he enters he hits a seemingly invisible wall. It makes the whole front of him burn and he jolts back. 

“The fuck?” he murmurs as he rubs his nose and looks around. It takes him only a moment to realize what’s going on.

“You’re fucking kidding me,” he sighs. “Hallowed ground? Really?” He had thought that just the adjoined church was blessed but apparently Dave was wrong. “Alright then I guess I’ll go this way,” he grumbles as he heads towards the window at the other end of the hall. He hits another invisible wall and growls. Fuck.

“Seriously?” Dave hisses as he backs into the bedroom. Outside he doesn’t hear the hunter anymore, though he knows the guy is there. He can smell his sweat mingling with the oil along with the slightest hint of apprehension.

Dave heads back to the open window, and looks outside. The hedge below the window glistens just a little and he knows that there is a circle planted just outside it. Whether it’s just one big devils trap, or one of many, Dave is unsure. Knowing he could be caught tonight makes his heart race.

“You just keep coming up with more and more games, don’t you,” Dave grits out as he turns towards the bathroom. As he expects there is more holy oil outside the window. He wrinkles his nose at the smell and feels a line of apprehension shift down his spine. He can’t use the windows, and he can’t go out anywhere else. He’ll need something different. He needs…

Dave feels a grin spread over his face as the idea forms. 

“If you want to play, let’s play, Jesus,” he chuckles as he goes back into the bedroom. Shuffling through a set of drawers, it takes him only a few moments to find a box of wooden matches. Dave goes back to the bathroom and begins to sing as he opens the window. 

“A priest one night had a devil in his bed,” he starts as he cuts the screen away with his nail. “And one little hunter left a trap outside and pled, ‘God please help me,’ but the devil replied instead.” Dave strikes the match against the side of the box and holds it out the window. “There’ll be a hot time in the old church tonight.” The lit match falls, and just as it does, he see his little hunter come barreling around the corner, gun up, and Dave flashes him a grin before the match hits. The oil catches immediately and in seconds the yard in ablaze with circles and sigils. 

Dave laughs as he watches the fire lick up the side of the house, catching where Jesus must have accidentally splashed it with oil. He can hear him screaming out there as the hunter yells obscenities both at him and god. 

“Nice try,” Dave calls as he watches the oil burn and the fire spread to the grass and house. Already he can hear it eating away at the old siding and wood shingles of the roof. “But you really shouldn’t let us play with fi-”

The gun shot makes Dave jolt backwards, though he quickly realizes it isn’t at him. A few moments later he hears footsteps pounding through the house and the hunter bursts into the bedroom. The blue eyed hunter has his gun raised, ready to shoot at any second, and Dave can’t help but lick his lips when he sees the singe marks on the back of his hands.

“Hey hot stuff,” Dave says from the bathroom, making sure his pale body is perfectly nude as he watches the hunter; he even adds a little sheen to his skin so it will shimmer like his white hair in the fire light. “Thanks for the kindling.” There is a crackling as a corner of the roof falls away and Dave feels hot air come in from a small hole. 

“Espiritus,” the hunter barely gets out before Dave goes misty. He quickly zips up and away through his new escape route and finds himself hovering over the burning house. Below him, he hears another string of curses. A few moments later he sees the hunter stumbling out of the burning home, holding the priest. 

“Nice try, Jesus,” Dave chuckles before he turns to leave and finds himself unable to. 

“What the fuck?” he asks as he looks down. There, along the side of the house, is a line of salt. With a snarl he glares at the little white line as his atoms float on the hot wind. He moves to the other side and finds the same.

“Tricky,” Dave says as he follows the salt and finds the smallest gap between it and the now charred earth; part of it having burned away from the flames. “Too fucking tricky,” he adds as he hears the hunter start up his chant again. As quickly as he can, Dave gets between the gap and speeds away from the words. He knows that if not for the flames that he would be writhing above the roof before heading back to hell. 

Dave pauses just out of earshot and watches the flames grow higher as the church is engulfed. Somewhere far away he hears sirens. He stays, waiting to see what happens next. Just as the cops and fire engine arrive a beat up jeep speeds away.

“Looks like playtime is over,” Dave says as he watches the tail lights. “It’s my turn to do some hunting.”

\---------------------

John gets back to his hotel smelling like a grease fire. His singed hands grip tightly to the wheel as he breathes hard through his teeth. After all that research and planning how could he have been so fucking stupid? He might as well have made the traps with gasoline!

He leans forward, pushes his head to the wheel, and clenches his jaw.

_‘I couldn’t have known,’_ he tells himself. _‘There was no way I could have known he’d light it on fire. I couldn’t have-’_

“FUCK!” The word is loud and sharp in his ears before he starts punching at his already dented dashboard. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!” He slams his hands down on the wheel before sucking in a harsh breath and steels himself. It doesn’t matter that he couldn’t have known; he had almost gotten the priest killed, had gotten a fifty something year old church burned down, and he couldn’t even be sure that he had banished the demon in the process.

“God damn it,” he croaks as he reaches for his phone. He hits the number 3 and then the call button. Two rings later and an alert voice comes over the receiver.

“What happened?”

John knows that Jade had been sound asleep only seconds ago; knows that the second she saw his name and heard his ringer she went into panic mode. It makes him feel a sliver of guilt as he pushes up his glasses and rubs at the bridge of his nose.

“I fucked up,” John replies.

“Who died?”

“No one,” John snaps. “But the fucking demon set the oil on fire, the Priest is probably in the hospital for smoke inhalation, and I have no fucking idea if I caught the damn thing or not!” There is a moment of silence on the other end of the line as Jade sets John’s yammerings in order. 

“Yeah, you fucked up, cuz,” she replies, though her voice doesn’t sound nearly as worried. In fact, it just sounds tired. “What about you? You okay?”

“Yeah, just...burnt,” John replies as he ruffles his dark hair and leans back against his driver’s seat. 

“Badly?”

“No.”

“Did the fire burn away the symbols?” Jade asks.

“Most, I think,” John replies as he stares at the back of his eyelids. “I couldn’t stick around and make sure. The cops were coming. I just barely had time to get the Priest next door, grab what I had, and get the fuck out of there.”

“Anyone see your car?”

“I used a fake plate.”

“Good.” He can hear Jade’s nod in her words. “So what now?”

“I don’t know,” John grumbles as he sits up. “I had just figured out the second pattern, and that took weeks to do. I don’t even know if I got him or not. There was so much smoke so there was no way for me to see him getting exorcised.”

“Then don’t assume that he is,” Jade tells him.

“I’m not.” The words come out as a snap and John immediately follows them with a sigh. “What about you? How goes the vamp tracking?”

“Found another nest in Iowa.” The words make John’s chest tighten for a moment before he remembers to breathe.

“Heading out there now, and- hush Bec.” John can hear gentle whimpers of a dog from the other line. 

“Oh, alright, here.” John hears a car door open.

“You know that Grandpa doesn’t mind paying for our hotels,” John says as he glances at the motel he’s staying in. It’s small, and old, but it’s clean and that’s all that really matters to him. 

“And I don’t mind sleeping in the car,” Jade says back. “Besides, I at least know all the bodily fluids that have been on my seats.”

John chuckles. “That’s not a comforting thought.”

“Didn’t say it was.” Jade gives a yawn. “Now hang up and get some sleep. God knows you need it.”

“Yeah yeah,” John sighs. Already his stress level feels lower. 

“And don’t forget the salt sticks.”

“When have I ever forgotten the salt sticks?” John asks. There is a smirk of silence on the other end of the line.

“Alright, alright I won’t forget the salt sticks,” he sighs.

“And salt the room,” Jade adds. 

John just rolls his eyes. “Night, Jade.” 

He hears her shifting in the ratty old sleeping bag she’s had for forever. 

“Night, John,” she replies. The line goes dead and John drops the phone into his lap.

“Fuck,” he sighs one more time before he opens his car door and steps out into the night. He needs a rinse, some rest, to set up his room, and maybe something to eat. But first he needs a god damn shot, or maybe just the bottle.

\---------------------------------

Dave knows he probably could have taken the guy when he had been sitting in the car, but he figured that if the hunter was creative enough to make holy oil traps then he’s probably smart enough to put traps on his ride. So Dave had waited in the bough of a tree until the lights inside the room had turned off and Dave could feel the soul inside settling into sleep. 

“Finally,” he murmurs before floating to the door. He currently nothing but mist and uses his spread out molecules to look for traps. There aren’t any devil traps out here, though it makes sense. A hunter probably doesn’t want a demon stuck in front of his door for god knows how long. Humans can be stupid creatures and getting one to break a circle would be easy as sucking dick for Dave.

As he floats around the outside of the end motel room, Dave comes to find that the hunter has made it all but impossible to get inside. Dave can’t even push around the door or windows with all the salt around them.

“Let’s see,” Dave hums as he starts looking for other ways in. The air conditioning is old, but it looks like the guy is smart enough to lay salt over the vents, at least from what Dave can gather when he pushes at it. The place isn’t really drafty, so finding a hole is a no go, but…

“Well hello there,” Dave says as he sees a crack in the foundation. Floating himself down to the ground he finds that the underside of the motel is a crawl space that leads into a mess of wires and pipes. Grinning, he slowly seeps inside and again uses his thinly spread molecules to pick his way around devil’s traps laid out on the floor. There aren’t many, but he still loses a bit of skin and nail here and there; nothing horrible though. He finds a space that is seemingly free of traps and raises upwards.

He slides up through the old floor easily, pushes along the carpet until he finds a tear, and then reassembles the molecules of his nude body together. He doesn’t quite touch down on the ground, instead opting to keep his body hovering gently above the floor. His eyes glance around the room and he tries not to give a little snort of a laugh.

“Huh, and here I thought you were going to be a slob,” he murmurs. The room is well put together. A bag against the wall, salt filled tubes along each window, sigils in places that the hunter can easily reach to activate, and his boots are set right up against the side of the bed. The only mess in the room is on the small, stained table in the corner. On it are a series of small puddles of almost evaporated vodka and a sugary smell. Dave floats over to take a look and finds a couple of torn open koolaid packets next to a pretty much empty glass. Around the bottom is a small, colorful puddle of vodka.

“Looks like someone has a sweet tooth,” Dave chuckles as he wipes his finger through the circle and licks it. He winces a bit at the artificial flavoring. It tastes like fake berries and sugar.

A little sound comes from behind him and Dave turns his attention to the hunter in the bed. He’s already falling hard into REM and the scent of fear is starting to tingle across Dave’s senses. Dave takes in a deep sniff before sighing out loud. 

“Damn you smell good.” He gives a quiet chuckle as he floats forward. “Though I’m a bit sad you started without me.” Dave gives a little fake pout as he moves around the sleeping hunter. He watches him thrash a little and kick at the blankets on him. Dave notes that the blanket on top is not a regular comforter and carefully pulls it back by the corner.

“Devil trapped duvet, what will they think of next?” Dave asks as he sees a few symbols on the underside of the cloth. Inside the sack-like covering is probably the hotels comforter, and Dave easily tosses it into a pile at the foot of the bed. The hunter gives a little kick and it tumbles to the floor.

“My sentiments exactly.” Dave smirks before turning back to his quarry. Carefully, Dave grabs the corner of the sheet, pulls it down, and grins. The guy really is quite nice to look at and there is so much to see with all of his sheets pulled down. Under his nightshirt Dave can see muscle through the threadbare fabric. His arms are thick, his chest broad, and Dave can tell this guy has put in some training. It looks like he could punch someone out pretty damn easily if he wanted. His eyes travel downwards and Dave can’t help but lick his lips when he sees the guy’s groin. Even flaccid he has a nice sized lump in his boxers.

“Damn,” Dave says as he moves a hand just above the other’s body, feeding a bit off the fear he’s feeling. It makes the hunters muscle’s jump and Dave loves to watch the way they jolt under his olive toned skin. “I was just going to come end ya, but I’d be an idiot to pass up a meal like this. Besides, gotta know if you're a shower or a grower now.”

Dave leans forwards, body lightening, and his molecules expand. It doesn’t take much to get him floating over the hunter. In the slight light from the windows the guy’s buck teeth glint. Dave has to fight the urge to lick them. 

“Hope you’re a biter,” Dave murmurs before he lowers himself down. Dave’s body hovers over the hunter’s before his mind infiltrates his. It’s so easy to slip into his dream, and when Dave appears in the midst of the nightmare that is already happening, he feels a little thrill at getting to see just what this hunter fears. As he settles everything becomes more vivid as Dave forces John’s body deeper into the REM cycle; making John almost comatose with his mental presence. It will let him touch John as much as he pleases on the outside without fear of waking him up. He’d love to have a little bit of a fight with the guy, see what those muscle can really do, but Dave’s not stupid. If given the chance Dave’s sure that this hunter could give him a run for his money, and, unlike his brother, he isn’t a gambling man. 

“Well if this isn’t the brain of someone who’s seen some shit,” Dave chuckles as he surveys the dream he’s in. There is the sound of gunfire, screaming, and it is music to his ears as he starts to walk. The place is filled with a heavy fog and all he can tell is that they are in some sort of forest, though in this dreamscape the trees are more like afterthoughts than detailed parts of the dream. For this guy the horror seems to come mostly from the auditory, or possibly a more detailed space in the dark. Interesting.

“John!” he hears somewhere. “John, run! RUN!” 

“Damn, I was really hoping it would be Jesus.” Dave gives a little snap of his fingers. “Oh well. Come here, Johnny boy.” Dave mentally starts messing with the dream. He feels it shifting, funneling the conscious part of John’s mind towards him. “It’s about time you and I got to it and met face to face.” 

Footfalls echo in the fog, and John comes shooting out of it and right at Dave. He doesn’t see him though, not with his head turned to look over his shoulder as he sprints. Even from here, Dave can see that his glasses are missing as he runs. The next thing Dave notices is that John is holding a rather large hammer, is breathing heavily, and that there are little nicks and cuts all over him. Behind them, Dave can hear a few more screams and John slides to a halt and looks back at whatever is happening. Dave twitches the dream and the same female voice as before tells John to run again. John does so without question, breaks back into a sprint, and heads straight for Dave.

“Gonna guess whoever’s back there is already fucked,” Dave drawls just as John turns towards him. John’s eyes widen and his feet struggle to backpedal against his momentum. Dave opens his arms and catches him, body rocking with the force of impact as his hands wrap around John’s shoulders. Outside the dream he actually puts his arms around John and gently makes the human’s body float above the bed.

“Hello there,” he says. He keeps his voice silky and low, but loud enough to be heard over John’s panicked breathing. Dave puts one hand on John’s lower back, the other on the back of his neck, and tightens his grip to keep John from running.

John’s eyes are blown wide, his face streaked with grime, and god Dave loves the feeling of John’s flesh under his hands. Outside the dream his fingers flex against John, holding him, and he can feel the layer of muscle under skin. He threads a couple fingers at the base of John’s neck and drags them through thick, dark hair. Dave smirks when he finds a few rough strands and realizes that they are singed from his little fire show. 

“W-who are you,” John grits out as Dave presses closer to him. “Are you with the nest?” John’s eyes stare right at Dave’s mouth as he tries to step back, body attempting to thrash in Dave’s grip. Dave doesn’t have to do a thing as John backs himself up against a tree, panicked brain making him an easier target in his nightmares. The fog shifts a little and suddenly it is steam. There is no longer a forest around them, but an alley, and Dave has John right up against a brick wall. It reminds Dave of a victim down in Austin. He had left him piss soaked and sated under a fire escape; screaming as his brain dreamt of him burning alive. 

“Aw come on, it's not like we haven't seen each other before?” Dave gives a false pout. “I thought you got a good eyeful back at the church.” He tilts his head suggestively and tries to push closer.

John’s hands stop him, gripping him around the waist, not seeming to register quite yet that Dave’s not wearing anything. Above them a red neon light appears and bathes them in warmth. It is not Dave’s doing, and it makes him smirk. So John did pay attention to the stories of Dave’s past victims; red neon is his calling card after all.

“Dave,” John breathes, and there is a tinge of fear in his voice. Beneath it Dave hears a lacing of excitement.

“Aw, all those first hand accounts and you remember my name more than my face. I'm flattered,” Dave says as he sways gently with John’s hands on his hips. 

“If you’re here,” John counters, “Then I’m-”

“Dreaming? Yep,” Dave confirms. “Gotta hand it to ya. Had this place chained up tighter than a chastity belt. Good thing I’m a pro at picking locks.” Dave runs his hand down the back of John’s neck, over his shoulder, and down his arm. John seems to think that it’s enough of a break in Dave’s grip to try and bolt. Too bad dreams don’t work that way, at least not when Dave’s in charge of them.

“Oh, want to leave so soon?” Dave coos as he shoves John hard against the stone with one hand and grips the back of his neck again with the other. The mortar indents behind John like his bed is doing in the real world. 

“L-let me go,” he gasps and tries to writhe out of Dave’s grasp. Even his actual body gives a twitch. “You bastard let me go--”

“I’m not here to hurt you.” 

The words make John freeze for a moment as his chest heaves. It’s a lie, they both know it is, but this is a dream. Nothing in it is actually real. 

“See, I’ve enjoyed watching you chase me. To be honest life gets pretty boring when all you do is live, fuck, and flee. Not that the fucking is necessarily the boring part.” Using the dream, Dave makes John feel pinned in the dreamscape while his hands move over him. His skin and flesh feel so very nice under Dave’s fingers. They come up over John’s chest and belly, the dream fabric of John’s clothing melting away as Dave pushes up his shirt in the real world. With a few well placed cuts of a nail Dave is able to tear the fabric away easily. 

Dave's fingers play in the dark hair on John's chest as he continues, “I’ve been able to stay one step ahead of you, though that last one? Devil’s traps in holy oil? Great idea. Would have never known if not for the smell.” Dave leans in closer and takes a deep breath next to John’s neck. He can smell sweat, soap, the slight tinge of smoke, and faint traces of vodka. When Dave pulls back John’s pupils are blown wide and he is panting loudly. 

“It’s nice that you’re easy on the eyes as well.” Dave winks. John’s head turns the second Dave moves in for an almost kiss. He finds his mouth hovering over the spot just under John’s ear. He can work with that.

John gives a sharp intake of breath as Dave kisses where his jaw meets skull and it causes Dave’s cock to ache a bit. John tastes good under his tongue; a slight film of sweat on his sweet flesh making Dave’s mouth water. With one of his hands, Dave stills John’s head so that he can take the lobe of his ear into his mouth and nibble. He has to be careful though; fangs and flesh are only friends for as long as he has self control.

“S-stop,” John pants. 

Dave chuckles and releases the lobe of flesh before moving down to John’s throat. He keeps John’s head turned to his side and shifts closer. Dave can feels John’s cock, hard, on his hip. Now that is nice. Dave hadn’t even started to push at the part of the brain that triggers sexual stimuli.

“Been a while?” Dave asks against John's neck before he grinds his hips forward and explores John’s jaw line with his tongue. John makes little whimpering sounds while Dave kisses, laps, and sucks at the exposed skin. John isn’t pushing Dave back anymore. Actually, he isn’t really struggling to get away at all. It isn’t until teeth come into play that John seems to get any sense back in his brain.

“Stop,” John says again, his voice more determined as Dave’s teeth graze his throat.

“Really, is that what you want?” Dave asks against his neck. “I mean, if it is then of course I will.” Dave pulls away and the utter shock on John’s face as his head whips to look forwards is perfect.

“What, did you think I raped the people whose dreams I entered?” Dave asks with a grin. “The sex always came before the nightmares, remember.” 

John keeps staring at Dave, unbelieving. It makes Dave’s grin grow wider as his hands caress John’s chest. The muscles jump under his fingers. 

“Come on, give me some credit. It’s so much more fun when they're screaming my name and not just screaming at me.” Dave lifts a hand up to touch John’s face and John just barely flinches. Consent is something Dave prefers when fucking people. He likes getting that sweet little ‘yes’ before fucking them senseless and then making them shriek. That tiny tinge of betrayal always makes his meals taste better.

“But you asked me to stop, so I guess I’ll just have to window shop.” Dave traces John’s lips with his thumb. He watches as John’s tongue comes out subconsciously to wet them. John doesn’t move as both of Dave’s hands come up to his throat and his thumbs paint gentle strokes down over John’s adam’s apple. Dave could snap his neck so easily right now, but where is the fun in that? 

“Still, I’d at least like one little sample from you, shopkeep,” Dave practically purrs. John goes rigid again. Oh he is so very cute.

Dave finds it so adorable to hear John try to keep the waiver out of his voice as he asks, “What?”

Dave smirks, hands moving to hold onto John’s hips as Dave goes nose to nose with him. It’s nice being about the same height in the dream, it lets Dave see the red of his eyes reflect in John’s blue ones. Dave doesn’t respond to his question, because there’s nothing sexier than body language. Instead, he leans in slowly, head tilted just so. There is a pause as he waits and sees what John’s response will be. Dave can feel John’s brain working, reminding him that this is a dream, it’s not real, and that Dave might not actually be here. For a moment, Dave mentally delves as deep as he can go without actually possessing John, and listens to far distant echoes of thoughts. 

_‘You saw him in the window, they told you what he looks like.’_ Dave hears John’s mind say, a series of other words bob in and out of earshot. _‘A demon wouldn’t ask for consent.’_ More indiscernible words, and then they quickly followed by, _‘It’s been so long…’_

After the last fleeting thought Dave only has to wait a few seconds more before John’s libido wins out over the analytical side of his brain. Dave relishes the win as John’s lips press against his own. They are chapped, and the dry skin catches a bit on Dave's own mouth. Dave mentally releases John’s hands and they immediately grip Dave’s shoulders, keeping him close. Dave feels almost like John thinks he may disappear and it strikes an odd chord within him.

“How long has it been?” Dave asks as his hands travel down John’s body. “Guy like you, I would think you’d have people lining up to get a taste.” 

“T-too risky,” John replies as Dave pushes a kiss to his neck.

“To have a fling?”

“To make a connection,” John pants.

Dave’s fingers pause for a moment before he grins into John’s shoulder. Good little boy scout watching out for others. God damn how could this soul get any sweeter?

“Well good thing this is only a dream then,” Dave tells him before cupping him through his boxers; John’s dream attire shifts to fit the sensation. “No connections here.”

Fishing John out of his boxers, Dave enjoys the thickness of him as John tosses his head back and pants. Dave can see the way his adam’s apple bobs with each small gasp and all just from a touch. He notes that John is a grower by the length of him.

“It really has been a while,” Dave murmurs as he shifts. The sound John makes as Dave pushes their hips flush speaks volumes to that and Dave is almost afraid to stroke their cocks together. He doesn’t want John going too soon. Where would the fun in that be?

He doesn’t have to worry, though, because John doesn’t seem to be nearly ready for it to stop. Dave finds fingers in his hair and is surprised when John pulls him in for an open mouthed kiss. Dave tastes fake berries and vodka on John’s tongue along with the distinct tang of toothpaste. With a talented tongue, Dave pulls John’s into his mouth and gives a suck. John’s response is a low groan as their tongues dance and he pulls Dave closer. To Dave it feels like John is almost trying to swallow him. 

“Looks like I’m not the only one that’s hungry,” Dave pants when he finally gets his lips back. His mouth quickly drops to John’s neck. Dave gives a twisting stroke to their cocks as he sucks in a patch of flesh and nibbles at it.

“D-Dave?” John questions when Dave lets go and kisses down John’s chest. Dave laps at John’s pecs, sucking the nub of a nipple between his teeth as Dave’s hand teases around the base of John’s cock. After a few moments he moves on and licks over a sharp, scarred hip bone, and John gives a gasp that is like an electric jolt to Dave’s dick.

Looking up at him, Dave finds the landscape of the dream has changed again. It is now a simple motel room not unlike the one they are currently in, though this one is much more sparsely decorated, John’s brain currently unable to come up with many details. The biggest change is that now John is lying down on the bed instead of being pushed against the wall.

“You know the magic word to make me leave,” Dave says as he looks John’s body over. In the red neon light from outside he can see how beautifully scarred John is. His flesh is covered in claw and bite makes and a few thin ones from knives. Too bad Dave will have to end him before he can add to John’s collection. He sees a nice spot right on the collar bone for one.

John blinks down at Dave in confusion.

“Stop,” Dave murmurs against his inner thigh, filling in the gaps John’s sex soaked mind no doubt has. Dave’s fingers hook into the gap in the front of John’s boxers and pulls. The fabric tears easily under his nails and completely frees John from the cotton confines. Dave quickly gives John’s dick a new home between his lips. 

John’s flavor is bitter, salty, with too much fast food flavoring his precum. It doesn’t bother Dave. He’s tasted worse and the flavor of John’s flesh makes up for it. 

“F-fuck,” John pants as his fingers twist in Dave’s white hair. Dave’s hands tear open the legs of John’s boxers. As soon as the underwear is nothing but scraps beneath John’s thighs, Dave pushes at John’s legs to get them spread wider. John does so willingly. It not only gives Dave more room to work but also lets Dave get in between John’s cheeks. Dave pushes a single finger against John’s hole and John shudders and groans.

“I-I’m not gay,” he pants as his hips buck into Dave’s mouth while Dave prods at his hole. 

Dave pulls off with a pop. He can feel echoes that tell him that John both believes that to be the truth and that it’s a lie.

“Of course you aren’t,” Dave murmurs as his fingers slick themselves with their own naturally produced lubrication; a fun little ability incubi have. Dave pushes them against John’s hole. “It’s never gay if it’s just in your dreams.” 

John’s breath hitches as Dave pushes in one finger.

“F-fuuuuuck,” John groans and his hands leave Dave to grip at the sheets.

Dave slips his finger in further and grins at the way John bucks. His hips seem confused; unable to decide if them want the finger out or deeper.

“Feels like you have a greedy little ass,” Dave says as he circles the one finger and then starts working in a second.

“W-wa-AH!” John’s body does try to get away a little this time but Dave grips one of his hips and keeps him steady. John gives a whimper as the fingers move in deeper and then relaxes slightly as they begin to pull out. The second they move back in his body begins to writhe. Dave watches the way John shakes and shudders as his fingers twist and spread inside him. There is a look of pain on his face and some lovely noises come from his throat. Not all of them are pleased. Dave changes that with a slow lick up John’s cock.

“It’s okay,” Dave tells him as he feels along inside for his prostate. “Just let me in.” Dave finds it, rubs, and John’s body goes rubber band tight and then feather soft in seconds.

“S-shit, don’t,” John pants as Dave goes to press another finger into him.

“Don’t what?” Dave asks with a pause. If the guy makes him wait much longer he might have to throw the slow prep out the window. Yeah, raping him would be one hell of a send off, but he’d rather John know that he gave himself over willingly as he bleeds out. But, fuck, this is almost too hot to deal with. 

“D-don’t stop.” John’s voice is almost a whine and Dave finds that he quite enjoys it. He gets even more of the sound when he slides the third finger in. John’s hands tangle back in Dave’s hair as Dave goes back to sucking John’s cock and massages his insides. Just around Dave’s fingers John is amazingly tight, and Dave can’t wait to feel him around his dick.

“Ah-god,” John pants in one breath as Dave curls his fingers back up into his prostate. John pushes down on his fingers, trying to get the pressure deeper, and Dave decides that prep time is over.

Pulling away from John, Dave moves to kneel between John’s legs, fingers slipping from him and pulling a gasp from John’s throat. Dave’s own cock is throbbing and dripping precum as he presses against John’s hole. John lays panting so hard that his chest is heaving. His eyes watch as Dave sets himself up, though he does nothing to either urge or deter Dave from entering him.

Dave pauses just before he presses in, even though he wants nothing more than to feel how tight John can be. Looking up, he finds John watching him breathless and wide eyed, like he can’t believe what he is seeing. The sudden urge to touch overcomes Dave and he reaches up a hand to gently trace over John’s chest and neck. He only pushes down with his nails and listens to John moan as slight, red lines appear where the flesh raises from the pressure.

“Please,” John begs gently. 

Dave finds himself a little startled. 

“What?” Dave asks, unable to contain the question.

“Please, Dave,” John replies as his legs fall further apart. He can’t look Dave in the eye when he says it and Dave can’t help but grin. Leaning forwards, he pushes his face into John’s neck.

“How can I say no when you ask so sweet?” The tender words match with Dave’s slow press into John.

Dave groans against John’s neck as he breeches him and feels the heat swallow him. John’s so tight, so perfect, and Dave can’t help but make his own sounds of pleasure as his is forced to move in slow. John’s legs spread wider, even pull back a bit, accommodating Dave even more, and allows him in deeper.

“Mmm, yes,” Dave groans. “Shit, it’s been awhile since I’ve fucked a virgin hole,” he tells John. John’s hands grip at Dave’s arms as he starts to move inside him. Each gentle thrust makes John cry out. 

“D-Dave,” he pants out as Dave moves inside, cock setting a pace. John’s body squirms, unsure of the sensation, that is until Dave angles just right.

“Yes!” John suddenly shouts. “Oh, fuck yes.” His nails dig hard into Dave’s arms and his body tries to swallow Dave’s cock similar to the way John is swallowing down air. Dipping his head down, Dave kisses him, tastes him, and enjoys the way John’s tongue twines with his. John’s hands frantically try to gain purchase on Dave’s shoulders before Dave grabs them and move them up above John’s head. Instinctively they grip the headboard.

“Hold on to that for me, would you babe?” Dave chuckles. “Otherwise I might just fuck you off the bed.” Dave emphasizes the words with a harsh thrust that pushes John down into the mattress. John’s legs quickly snap up around Dave’s waist and Dave goes fully solid in the real world. It isn’t uncommon at all for a human’s physical body to react so readily, especially when a human gets close to cumming. With how tight John is, Dave doubts he’s very far off, which means he’s going to have to get all he can now.

“Do you like that?” Dave asks as he keeps pushing in hard and fast, making John gasp and arch with both pleasured and pained sounds. “Because I do. You’re like the perfect little sheath for my dagger,” Dave teases as his nails grow longer. They dig into the bed when John replies with a breathy, “Fucking perfect.” 

“Good,” Dave growls against John’s throat. “Now cum for me, John.” One of his hands moves to position his sharp nails just over John’s heart, ready to shoot inside John’s chest and pull it out the moment he orgasms. It will taste amazing if he can take it out when his blood is filled with endorphins and it will run thick and warm down his throat. The thought itself is almost enough to make Dave shoot his load. The cold metal on his throat, however, does a good job at stemming back his orgasm.

“You first.” 

The dream world is suddenly gone and the two of them are just rutting against each other in John’s shitty motel room. Dave’s hips don’t stop going as they lay there, his claws pressing to John’s chest as John pushes his knife to Dave’s throat. It slices just slightly, like Dave’s claws on John’s chest, and Dave’s blood drips down and mingles with John’s. The skin beneath the blade burns and it’s hard not to jerk away. Dave can tell it’s been laced in something; maybe holy water, or salt, or probably both. It won’t kill him, but it sure as hell hurts, and if he’s not careful it’s going to do some damage. The thought makes him grin.

“Oh I like you,” Dave says between quick pants as he jerks his hips hard and John’s hand stutters. “You may be too fun to kill.” Dave rams into John and feels that knife waiver against his throat. Dave risks a slit throat to duck his head down for another kiss. Amazingly, John kisses him back, and the knife barely burns as it gently sinks millimeter by millimeter into Dave’s flesh.

Dave retaliates by twisting the claws in John’s chest on his next hard thrust, and the pain seems to take John by surprise from the gasp he gives. The knife cuts a bit deeper, but it’s burning pain is nothing in comparison as John gets so very tight around Dave’s cock. The feeling of blood dripping down Dave’s neck actually makes it feel even better.

“I’d love to have your other knife shoved in my throat,” Dave says, voice thick as the blade rubs over his vocal cords. His other hand goes to grab John’s dick and it is only with his demonic balance and strength that he is able to hold his position and keep thrusting. 

The sensation must take John by surprise because his eyes go wide. They snap shut on Dave’s next thrust as he does his best to hit John’s prostate while his nails dig hard into his chest. John cums from pain and pleasure cross firing in his head and coats the inside of Dave’s other hand with cum. Dave keeps moving as he watches John’s head fall back, exposing his throat. It would be easy for Dave to kill him now, just tear out his throat with his teeth. All he needs to do is grab the knife and dive for the jugular.

“Dave,” John gasps.

Dave cums instead. His fingers slip from John’s flesh as Dave pushes John’s hand, and knife, above his head and kisses him hard. As he rocks shallowing into John, Dave fills him with warm cum as their teeth click and lips mesh together. It is a battle of fangs and front teeth, and even though John’s lips are getting shredded, he doesn’t stop. Dave feel a wave of pleasure when John bites at the tip of his tongue. Dave shoves it deeper into John’s mouth. It receives a harsh suck, then a bite, and Dave finally has to pull back. The two of them lay there, a panting mess with John covered in cum and Dave still inside. Dave stares down at John, who looks up at him with half opened blue eyes. He still has a tight grip on his knife. 

“You are so much fun,” Dave pants down at him, a smile on his lips. John smiles back; genuine and dangerous. The hand clutching the knife suddenly releases and John catches it with his free one. 

“Exorcizamus te,” John starts as he slices through the air, but Dave is already out of him and at the foot of the bed. 

John makes a pained, confused sound at the very sudden loss of Dave’s cock and he pauses in the chant. It gives Dave a chance to look John over. Dave licks his lips and stares at the mark on John’s chest. His fingers itch to leave more, but with that knife in John’s hands and those words on his lips, Dave decides it’s time to go.

“I’ll be seeing you again,” he promises. 

“In your dreams,” John grunts before he lunges.

Becoming vapor so soon after orgasm is hard to do and it seems to surprise John that Dave is able to do it. The knife goes slashing through Dave harmlessly and John’s body follows suit.

“Damn it,” John snarls as Dave laughs into the room.

“Don’t worry, John.” Dave wraps his molecules wrap around John in a gentle wind. “I’ll let you stab me later,” Dave murmurs in his ear before he disperses and goes to slip out the way he came.

The exorcism chant follows him out.

\--------

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” John tells himself as he scrubs his body down with motel soap and his travel scrubber. How could he have missed the crawlspace? How? He should never have taken the owner's word for it. He should have lined the whole damn room, not just the windows and door. Jade had been fucking right.

His hand dips between the cheeks of his ass for what feels like the millionth time and pushes against the raw hole in hopes of removing more of the demon’s seed from his body. His insides still feel warm from it, thought there can’t be much left; not with how thorough John has been. If only he had been as thorough with the room.

There is a slight twinge of something that isn’t quite pain as he presses against himself. His hand quickly jolts away and his heart beat runs wild as John breathes in the barest amount of steam. The water is going cold. Soon there won’t be much heat left.

_‘What the hell was that?’_ he asks himself. _‘Am I really that hard up that I’d let an incubus fuck me?’_ The resounding _‘Yes’_ of an answer flitters through his brain and he grits his teeth. 

“Fuck,” he says as he stares down at the drain. He can see some red running into it. John touches the still gently bleeding wound on his chest. It’ll need stitches, and although he’s given himself plenty, his needle work is still shit.

“That’s going to scar,” he mutters. John doesn’t even have to look at the damage to know that. 

He stays in the shower until his teeth start to chatter, then he gets out, towels off, and gets his first aid kit. 

Two shots of vodka and he’s ready to go, the pain in his chest only rivaled by that of his backside as he squirms on the toilet seat. By the time he’s done the sun is up and he knows there will be no more sleeping. Probably won’t be for a while, and even if there is...shit. He knows what he has to do and god he hates it.

John hits the speed dial of 2 as he finishes putting the bandage on.

“Good morning old chap, guessing sleep wasn’t a dear friend to you last night if you’re calling me at the cock’s crow.”

“I lost the incubus, Grandpa,” John replies. His heart sinks as he says it. 

“Lost him?” Grandpa asks. “Has the trail really gone cold?”

“Yeah,” John lies and stands from the toilet. He hates the limp that takes him through to the bedroom. “Tried the oil trick last night. Ended up backfiring, literally. Damn demon set the church on fire.”

“My word, was anyone hurt?”

John shakes his head, “No,” he says. “Just my pride.” He sits gingerly on the bed but can’t hold back the hiss.

“Sound like more than your pride,” Grandpa grumbles. “But what makes you think you’ve lost him?”

“He’s smart,” John replies. “Really fucking smart. I need to back off and wait for him to start feeding again.” Mentally he adds, _‘I need to get the fuck away.’_

“I see,” Grandpa sighs. “Well, you can’t win them all.” There is a shuffling of papers. “Head out to Tennessee then. If the rumors are true then there are some hide behinds running around down there.”

“What about Jade?” John asks, his heart hopeful. “Maybe I can try and help her with the nests again.” There is a beat of silence before his Grandfather sighs. 

“Leave your cousin to her quarries, John,” Grandpa replies. “You know she would tell you if she needed help.”

John slumps but nods. 

“Okay,” John replies as he looks out his window at the rising sun. “I’ll get going then soon. E-mail me the coordinates?”

“That’s my lad.” Grandpa’s voice gentle. “Don’t forget to pick up some mirrors and alcohol on the way.”

John looks at the vodka on the table and feels his heart clench when he sees the streak on the wood; a pinkish smear from a finger in the dried booze.

“Believe me,” he says as he gently pushes at the newly setting wound on his chest. “I won’t.”


	2. Receiving Scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I promised, a Wednesday update. Expect me to keep this schedule going for at least the next month though I am going to do my damndest to keep it up until the story (all of Dealings with Demons, not just this) is over.

“Are you ready?” Jade shouts over the drone of the airplane engine for John to hear her. Her hand grips John's tight as they stare down at the earth. They are so high up, surrounded by sparse clouds as the small plane glides through the sky.

John's heart is in his throat making it impossible to respond. Instead, he looks at Jade and squeezes back. Jade gives a grin. Her dark goggles reflect John's face back and John can see the apprehension on his face.

“Let's go then.”

Jade tips forwards, falls, and John is pulled after her into the sky. John’s stomach drops as he goes weightless, his body freezing for a moment as he goes into free fall. Wind whips around him, tugs at his clothing, and sending him into spinning spirals. Looking to his side, he finds Jade twirling in the air with her dark hair flying crazily behind her. She gives a whoop of joy, but the wind catches it and pulls it away.

Jade waves at him as she evens out her spin before doing a flip. John watches her turn, her body twirling in the air like a leaf. John tries to duplicate it, finds he cannot, and instead tucks in his arms. He finds himself turning in a tight spiral, head pointed down, and quickly opens them back up. His stomach churns and he quickly decides not to do that again.

He hears Jade’s laugh slide through the wind for a split second before he turns to right himself. The ground is approaching quickly. They need to open their shoots soon. 

Jade flashes him a wide grin before reaching up and pulling her shoot. A large, red tarp is thrown into the air, catching her and jerking her upwards. John watches Jade a moment before pulling his own line. He waits for the wind to catch him. Nothing happens.

 _‘Oh shit, oh fuck,’_ his brain supplies as his hand goes to pull the secondary. The handle comes off in his fist.

“Jade!” His voice is stolen by the wind the second the words come out. He tumbles in the sky, body flailing as he tries to figure out what to do. He looks for Jade but he can’t find her. As he spins he can see the earth coming up quicker; a span of green only broken by a single cloud below him. 

“Fuck,” he croaks as he closes his eyes. He can’t watch anymore. His hands pat over himself frantically, trying to find another line, or maybe a clasp. Anything that’ll let him live. He cracks his eye open and finds himself being swallowed by the cloud. The world goes white and wispy and he waits to come out the otherside. 

“Looks like you’re fucked,” comes a voice. The words are ragged as the air tries to snatch them. 

Spinning, John turns to find Dave next to him; his head pointed down like John’s and his light hair snapping in the wind. He is clad in jeans and a long sleeve shirt with what looks like a red eye in the center of it. On his face he wears a pair of sunglasses that reflect John’s horrified face.

“No, no, no,” John says as he attempts to backpedal, which doesn’t work in the air. 

“You really need to stop starting without me,” Dave chuckles as he reaches for John. 

John smacks at his hand. It earns him a scowl.

“Seriously, you’d take falling to your death over me?” Dave asks with an eyebrow raised.

“I’d take a lot of things over you,” John snaps.

Dave gives a chuckle, shakes his head, and then grins. He snatches John up by the straps of his skydiving suit and they come to a jerking stop in the middle of the clouds. John gasps as Dave’s thigh pushes up between his legs.

“That’s not what your cocks sayin’.” Dave smashes their mouths together. 

John’s hands immediately go for a weapon. He grabs the hilt of something from his thigh and is expecting a knife, a machete, hell maybe even a gun. 

He’s holding a hammer.

“Is that your subconscious telling you that you want to nail me?” Dave purrs against his ear. Through the shades John can see the red of Dave’s eyes. They are much too similar to something else. 

“John, run!” Echos through the cloud as they hang in the air.

Dave gives a grin and his teeth are nothing but rows of fangs.

“No!” John screams as he raises the hammer.

“Too slow,” Dave chuckles before his head goes right for John’s throat.

“Jade!” The scream rips from his lips as John sits bolt upright. The world around him is cold and damp; the comforter kicked down near his feet and the sweat soaked sheet wrapped around his upper torso.

“Fuck.” His breathing comes in pants as he touches his neck. No bite, not blood, just a few fine scars. “Oh thank God.” He falls back onto the bed. Turning his head he looks at the clock. 4:13 blares at him in red numbers. He’s been asleep for maybe three hours. Great.

The knock to the door just about stops his heart.

“Hey, everything okay in there?” It’s a male voice, a concerned one.

“Yeah,” John replies as he gets up. The red neon light of the motel sign guides him to the door easily. He undoes the lock, but not the chain, and opens the door just a little. “Sorry about that, I was just-” He freezes. 

“Having a nightmare?” Dave asks him, his mouth is smeared with red and his shades are gone. 

“John...” The voice is choked and pained behind him. With his heart in his throat, John slowly turns and sees a bald head, blood, and bright blue eyes.

John wakes up with gasp. His head immediately looks to the clock and 2:46 glows back at him.

“Fuck,” he murmurs as he reaches up and rubs at his face. He is tempted to call Jade, just to hear her voice, but that would be a dick move. She’s hunting and this late at night she’s probably neck deep in a nest somewhere. She’d taken out the one in Idaho over three weeks ago and had moved further west. He’s not horribly sure what’s she’s hunting now to be honest. She works through cases so quickly it’s hard to keep up with her.

John heaves a sigh and sits up. He untangles himself from his sheets and stares at the comforter that has been kicked down to the edge of the bed.

“Really need to stop doing that,” he murmurs as he swings his legs over the side and heads to the small desk in the motel room. It’s covered in newspaper clippings from a mess of attacks that have been happening around the small Mississippi town. From what John can tell they are completely random, though while many have happened in the large park on the west side of town the attacks have also sporadically happened elsewhere.

So far there have been nine and in each one the victim’s heart has been removed. Along with that detail the bodies have been heavily mutilated and covered in claw marks. John stops in front of the T.V. stand and leans down to access the mini fridge beneath. He pulls it open, takes out an energy drink, and then goes and sits heavily in the hard, wood chair provided by the motel. John turns on the desk light, tries to find a position that won’t make his ass fall asleep in meer minutes, and begins to look over his notes. 

“Alright.” He pulls out his map. “Let’s see where you are.” He pops the tab on the energy drink, pours the acrid, sugar filled liquid into his mouth, and searches again for a possible pattern that might finally lead to this monster’s death.

\---------------

“He’s mine, Bro, back off,” Dave snarls over the receiver. The sheer anger in his voice is palpable and Bro loves it so very much.

“Aw, come on. Haven’ you heard of sharin’ lil’ man?” Bro makes his drawl thick as he lays back with his feet kicked up on the judge’s desk. 

“Nope, don’t think you ever taught me that one,” Dave shoots back.

“Well, I’m calling seniority then,” Bro replies as he watches his shadow of a lawyer talking to the gaggle of monstrous jury members. “You’ve had a month to play around with ‘im and with everything you’ve told me now I wanna bite.” 

“I told you he’s mine!” Dave snaps and Bro feels the word echo around him. It interrupts the dream for a moment and Bro smirks.

“Aw, you looking for me?” Bro asks as he looks towards the doors of the courtroom. He knows Dave’s out roaming the halls, looking for a way to find Bro. 

“What do you think.” The words are closer and Bro shakes his head. As long as Bro’s quarry, and Dave’s, are both dreaming they can communicate. Hell, using the space between they could even meet up if they wanted to. “You’re being an idiot. You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

“And yet you keep going after him. Must be something to the guy.” Bro gives a chuckle.

“You know what, go ahead,” Dave with a snaps. “You die and it’ll just leaves more for me.”

“I’m hurt,” Bro whines. “Are you saying you wouldn’t miss your big brother at all? After all the hell we’ve been through?” 

“I’d miss the sex,” Dave deadpans. “But I’m fucking serious, you leave-”

“Sorry, Dave,” Bro cuts in as he gets up. “But I’m not looking for a threesome. At least, not this time.” He puts the phone down on the receiver, though it doesn’t stop Dave’s muffled shouts from coming out of it. Shit, he’s getting close then.

Bro sits up and looks over the courtroom. When he had come into this dream the lawyer it belonged to had been winning a case of some sort. Bro had interrupted it by throwing him over the witness stand and giving his jury a show. Now the nightmare is all about if Bro should be prosecuted. His defense is that with the suit the guy is wearing, now torn and bloodied, he was asking for it. It doesn’t help the guy that by dream logic Bro’s attorney is kicking the lawyer’s ass. 

Bro interrupts whatever conversation is going on by slamming down the phone now turned gavel. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Bro calls. “Can we just conclude that, without question, this man was asking for it by wearing such a well cut and form fitting suit?” A murmur goes through the jury. 

“What? No!” The lawyer screams. “I wasn’t, I would never- How is that a defense?” he cries. “You saw him,” he yells at the jury while pointing at Bro. “You saw what he did! You heard me say no! How is that not enough evidence for you?”

“But, according to you, clothing is a completely reasonable trigger for rape,” Bro replies. “Remember?” The room shifts and the walls become nothing but television screens. On each one the lawyer is saying something to a crying young person in a courtroom. Bro smirks as he watches the man’s face go pale.

“I-I was just doing my job.” He gives a whimper as Bro comes forwards. “I didn’t-”

“It’s easy to blame the victim until you become one, isn’t it?” Bro asks.

“It was my job, I was just doing my job. I would never-”

“I hate hypocrites,” Bro cuts in and any glee or mirth is gone from his voice. 

The claws of his hand jam into the man’s chest and his strength easily crunches through the bone. The dream snaps away and Bro is straddling the man in his car. All sound related to Dave falls away instantly. Fear and pain from the man under Bro’s hands replaces it. Bro drinks it down with a smile. A well manicured hand comes up to grab at his wrist just before Bro rips the heart out of the man.

“Have fun at judgement. They tend to be a little more fair.” Bro looks right into the man’s wide eyes before biting into his heart like an apple. Blood gushes down his chin and Bro hums in delight. Incubus and succubus are demons of the flesh that is for certain, though more for the carnal pleasures than the actual carnage. Still, Bro had forgotten how good some fresh meat was now and again. A thick trickle of blood can be just as erotic as cum. 

The lawyer convulses, hands scrambling over Bro’s tanned skin as he gasps for air. Bro takes another bite of heart before reaching in and shredding one of the lungs. Some blood comes out, and that’s when he heaves a sigh. 

“Damn it,” he grumbles before holding the heart between his teeth. As quickly as he can he starts mauling the man; pulling as much blood as he can from scratches while the guy bleeds out mainly in his chest. Bro makes sure to tear into upholstery as well and gets blood everywhere he can. When he’s done the body is a bloody mess and Bro is satisfied that the coroner will be unable to tell if the heart was removed before or after the scratches.

“Got a little present for ya, John,” Bro chuckles before he goes misty and leaves out the car vents. As soon as he is outside he turns and punches into the driverside window, showering the inside with glass. A little backwards maybe, but oh well. Bro reaches inside, grabs the rest of the heart, and squeezes it over the shards. He makes sure to scatter them around about to turn them into part of the scene.

“Alright, John,” Bro says as he takes another bite of the heart. “Let’s see what you can make of this.”  
\---------

John wakes up to a knock on the door and a small pool of spit around his chin.

“Housekeeping!” comes shrilly afterwards. John sits up quickly with paper stuck to his face. It takes him a moment to orient himself before realizing what is happening.

“I-I’m okay,” he calls, voice thick with sleep. Sunlight comes muffled through the curtains and at this angle he can see the shadow of the house keeper outside.

“Do you need towels?” comes through as John removes the paper from his face and gets up.

“Actually, yeah that would be great,” he says as he goes to the door and opens it just wide enough to pop his head out. He finds the owner standing next to the cart with a warm smile on her face as she stands in a brightly colored Hijab. 

“Here you go,” she says as she grabs a couple of towels and hands them to him. “Are you planning on another night Mr. Johnson?” she asks as he takes them, making sure to keep his boxer clad lower half behind the door. 

“Yeah, I still have a few more places to look at for the book,” John replies with a smile.

“I can’t wait to get a look at it. A history of Lakeland’s most haunted sites. Oh how interesting.” She beams up at John and he feels a small pang of guilt for having to deceive to this woman. 

“I’ll make sure to send you a copy,” he lies. “Thank you for the towels.”

“You are very welcome,” she replies before turning away and heading back down the line of her twelve well kept rooms. “Have a nice day,” she calls over her shoulder. 

John waves a little before going back inside. With a sigh he tossed the towels onto the bed, sits down, and snags the remote from the side table. Hitting power the local news pops up on the screen and John goes rigid.

“-galvin’s heart was missing and his body mutilated. Police are still unsure as to who, or what it was that broke into the car, but-” John mutes the screen, stands, and heads for the desk. Booting up his laptop he connects to the free wi-fi and heads to the local news website. 

Ten deaths. Ten.

“Alright you son of a bitch,” John grumbles as he finds the location of the death and puts it on his map. “Where are you?”

John picks up what’s left of his warm energy drink and goes back to work.

\---------

The man that Bro has found is a floater. Some poor soul stuck wandering from place to place, eating scraps and not much else. It had been easy to seduce him, or bribe him really. Thirty buck for a blow job and the guy had been more than eager. It had been even easier to scare him once Bro had him pinned to the wall of the park tunnel. If Bad had a choice he would have gone for something a bit cleaner, but this poor excuse for flesh is the only thing in the area. If John’s as smart as Dave says he is then he should be here any minute. Besides, the tunnel under the road carries sound well. It won’t take John long.

“P-please, let me go,” the guy begs as Bro lets out a very convincing growl. His nails lengthen, his teeth grow sharp, but it seems that the bright orange of his eyes are what really freak this guy out. The second his sunglasses had evaporated the floater had really started to struggle.

“I-I’ll make it good, I promise. I’ll even do it for free!” His voice hiccups and Bro forces himself not to laugh. Good god humans are too easy. 

“Looking for something a little different,” Bro tells the drifter as his hands slash the front of his shift. Old buttons clatter to the ground and the man lets out a cry as his flesh raises in angry red lines, but doesn’t split. 

The sound of muted footfalls ring in Bro’s ear just as he leans in and licks a line up the guys throat, his claws tracing over his rib cage. Looks like he won’t be fucking John with blood on his hands. At least, not to start out. Bro lets John get up close as he makes growling sounds at the man in front of him, feigning a sniff and nuzzle here and there. Has to make it seem like he’s too absorbed to realize John’s even there. He hears all of it, though, even when John goes stealthy and moves around behind him.

“Help me,” the drifter whimpers and Bro reacts with swift turn of his head. The blade of a knife is quickly against his throat. 

“Drop him,” John says evenly and the silver dagger pushed into him. Bro gives a harsh growl but releases the guy. 

“Thank you, thank you,” the drifter pants as he gets up.

“Get out of here,” John tells him. “Find somewhere safe.”

The man replies with a nod and whimper before he scurries off; the smell of piss going with him. 

“Alright you mutt,” John mutters. “Time to put you down.”

It’s so fucking cliche and Bro has to fight to keep his scowl and not start laughing. He feels the pressure behind John’s blade increase, but before it can do more than makes the barest of burning lines on his flesh, Bro is nothing more than mist. John stumbles forwards, the momentum for the death slash carrying him forwards, and he hits the wall. The second he does Bro becomes solid and quickly gets behind John. He doesn’t worry about conjuring up clothing.

“That really the best line you have?” Bro murmurs as he quickly gets his arms around John. Bro binds him in a hug as he presses his nose into John’s neck. He smells like sweat, dirt, and the barest amount of soap. John also smells like too much caffeine and not enough sleep. 

“Shit you smell good,” Bro murmurs into John’s throat. “Can’t wait to get a taste.” 

“Yeah, well,” John grunts and tries shifts in Bro’s grip. Bro can’t move quickly enough to get away as the dagger in John’s hand is expertly spun and pushed back. It slices into the side of Bro’s arm and makes him hiss, though it’s not all that bad. Yeah the knife burns something fierce, but John can’t get a good angle on it, and while the cut does bleed it’s still pretty shallow.

“Damn, Dave wasn’t kidding,” Bro chuckles as he grabs John’s wrist and twists it hard. “You do have some bite to you.” He can feel John freeze under his hands as he is forced to drop his knife. Fear and panic color John’s scent, and Bro grins.

“D-Dave?” John asks, his blue eyes wide as he looks back at Bro. He has to look up, but not by much. He’s almost Bro’s height.

“Oh yes,” Bro replies. “My little brother told me all about you.” Bro push him forwards and moves to pin John against the wall. Keeping one hand on John’s shoulder, Bro pushes the other to the small of John’s back while pressing his left knees into the back of John’s leg. It forces John’s hands against the wall to keep himself up and Bro uses the moment to grab them, force them behind John’s back, and pin them just above his tailbone. The second Bro has John’s hands pinned he lets up on John’s knee so he can stand on his own.

“You left quite an impression on him.” Bro pushes him harder against the stone and John makes a pained noise as he fights the pressure. “Can’t get those noises you made out of his head. Been itching for another chance at that tight little ass of yours,” Bro say as he leans in close. “Got me curious.” Bro pushes his growing erection against John’s backside. Bro smells the fear snap tight and panic sets in quick. John thrashes, his head flying back into Bro’s nose. The bone crashes against cartilage and Bro gives a hiss. His nose burns as a small trickle of blood runs from somewhere in the bridge. It doesn't last long; the inner skin stitching back together quickly. 

“Now why’d you have to go and do that?” Bro growls roughly as he squeezes John’s wrists hard, making the bones creak against one another. John lets out a pained cry before he tries the trick again. Bro is ready this time, and when John throws his head back Bro grabs John's chin. With a force that is sure to make his neck ache, Bro forces John to turn to look at him over his shoulder. It scratches up John’s cheek and the left lense of his glasses, but Bro doesn’t really give a shit. John’s mouth is fine, and that’s all he really cares about, not that he’s going to leave it unbloodied. 

“Well damn,” Bro says. “Your dad must have fucked one hell of a beaver for you to get those.” Bro runs his thumb over John’s lips and buck teeth. “Think you can keep them in check?” Bro thumbs at John’s bottom lip as he speaks. The skin feels a little chapped, but that’ll feel nice on his cock. “See, Dave told me you sound great when you scream.” John jerks hard and it makes Bro chuckle. “But I’m wondering how you sound when you choke.”

“Get o—” John starts to snarl before Bro smacks his head against the stone. There is a click from his glasses and Bro enjoys watching John’s eyes cross at the force. His knees buckle a little, but not enough for Bro’s liking, so he does it again. This time John waivers like a sheet in the wind and the glass in his frames cracks. It takes Bro barely any force to shove John to his knees. Bro’s dick is already hard when he turns John towards his groin.

“Let’s see how you look without these.” Bro wrenches off John’s cracked glasses and tosses them to the ground. Without them, he can see how cloudy John’s blue eyes have become, and Bro’s pretty sure he’s given the guy a concussion. Blood trickles steadily from his temple and makes a lovely line down his cheek. John is a pretty picture like this; dazed, confused, vulnerable. Bro’s a little disappointed he doesn’t have more fight to him. Then again, unlike Dave, he’s not big on keeping things fair.

“Don’t bite now,” Bro cooes as he hooks his thumb into John’s lower jaw. With a tug, Bro forces John’s mouth open and keeps his thumb locked near the back of his jaw. John’s eyes go wide as he suddenly realizes what about to happen. 

“And give me a little scream. Wanna feel it vibrate up my dick,” Bro murmurs before he shoves his cock inside. Instinctively John tries to close his mouth; his large teeth scraping over Bro’s shaft. All it takes from Bro is a hard tug down on John’s jaw to put an end to that. 

“What’d I just say?” Bro asks him before he starts to move. John’s hands come up and scramble over Bro’s hips and sides, pushing at him. They are little more than an annoyance as Bro feels John’s throat grow tight over the head of his dick. His cock pushes past John’s tonsils and hits against the back of his throat; he can feel John gag immediately. 

 

“Shit, if Dave wanted tight he should have gone for your throat,” Bro pants as he rocks. John feels good; taut and warm around him and his convulsive swallows only add to the pleasure. Bro shoves in deeper, feels John choke, and he doesn’t give a damn. This hunter had been out trying to kill him and his brother and like hell he’s walking away from here alive. Dave won’t be happy about it but Bro doesn’t really care. Hunters are hunters, good lays or not, and just because Dave wants to drag it out and get the last crack at him doesn’t mean Bro’s going to give it to him. He had his chance, now it’s Bro’s turn.

“Damn, John,” he pants and keep moving inside John’s mouth. “Could get used to this.” Bro starts moving a bit harder, faster. The way John keeps swallowing in the back of his throat makes it feel so good as Bro fucks his mouth. He feels him start to vomit and Bro pulls out so John can spit it up on the ground. He’s not ready for him to die from asphyxiating; at least not yet.  
As soon as John’s windpipe is clear, Bro forces his way back into his mouth. John gags a few more times but nothing else comes up. After a while, John’s hands fall away and Bro grins.

“You ready to die choking on my dick?” Bro asks. “Because I’m going to fill your lungs with cum and watch you drown in—” The sting of the blade goes deep into his side and Bro cries out. It burns like a son of a bitch as Bro shoves John away. Clutching at his side as Bro coughs and gasps. Blood bubbles up over his lips and Bro knows that isn’t a good sign. Damn it, he should have kicked that damn knife away.

“You little fucker,” Bro grits out. There has got to be more than just silver on the blade he realizes. Some sort of salt rub maybe? Whatever it is it’s making it hard for his body to try and heal and he knows that another stab or two and there is no way he’s going to be able to go misty around this hunter.

“Exorcizamus te,” John starts. His words come out between horse gasps. 

Bro snarls. Seriously? This guy has that shit memorized? He keeps that up and this fucker is going to send him back down to Daddy dearest. Well fuck that. Bro has worked way too hard to get up here and he isn’t about to go back.

“Omnis immundus spiritus,” John continues with a hand out before him. Bro can’t tell if it’s for effect of balance.

“I’ll be seeing you around, John.” Bro gives a snarl and pulls the knife out with a hard tug. Dark blood pours from his side. “We both will,” he adds.

The hilt burns against his palm and he sloppily throws the knife at John. John barely dodges it with a roll, though it does catch his arm. Bro wants to do more but whatever was on that blade has sapped too much energy for him to do anything now. Mustering as much energy as he can, Bro feels the slash stitch up as he goes misty. It’s hard to keep himself together as he blows out of the place, angrily ruffling John’s hair as he does. He can hear John coughing as he goes, his throat still spasming from Bro’s cock.

\----------

John is floating naked in the fog.

“He did a real number on you didn’t he.” 

Turning his head, John finds Dave floating cross legged next to him, just as nude as he is. His red eyes look him over and John’s body feels a thrill of fear.

“I’m seriously not here to hurt you this time,” Dave says as he reaches for him. John finds he can’t move, and when he tries to talk, all he feels is pain. Dave’s fingers are surprisingly gentle as they skim over his throat. They move down and touch the scar over his heart.

“This turned out nice,” Dave murmurs as he shifts, body going to float over John’s. His fingers trace over the circular scar and John lets out a few painful pants. He tries to form a word but his mouth doesn’t seem to remember how to work correctly.

“You’ve got some minor brain damage,” Dave humphs. “I can’t believe that Bro would- okay so maybe I can.” He heaves a sigh. “But, seriously...” Dave moves over John and lays down. He’s a bit shorter, and with his head level with John’s collar bone his feet are just about level with John’s. “You’re not his to break.” Dave’s fingers come up and brush over John’s mouth. 

“I’m going to get so much shit for this,” Dave sighs as he closes his eyes. John feels a strange pressure around him, a push that is anything but pleasant. He struggles a little and finds Dave frowning. “The fuck?” Dave murmurs as he looks over John. “Why can’t I…” he pauses. 

John watches wide eyed as Dave looks at his side just under his ribs. He knows exactly what he’s looking at. Dave floats around him and stares at a quarter sized spot on John’s side.

“Anti-possession tattoo in white?” Dave asks, his voice impressed. “You really are smart, though this isn’t going to do right now.” Dave leans down, opens his mouth wide, and John finds himself gasping a scream. It comes out high and airy, barely even a sound as Dave’s teeth make quick work at removing a decent chunk of flesh.

John sobs a little as Dave sits up with his mouth bloody. Watching him swallowing makes John want to vomit.

“There,” Dave says as he floats back up. “I’ll fix it in a second.” He gives John a wink before he lays back down on John’s body, crosses his arms, and settles his head on them. The pressing begins again and John gasps as Dave seems to melt away with his body pressing into John’s.

 _’Hmmm, not too bad,’_ Dave’s voice echoes in John’s head. Something shifts inside John’s body and it is so very unpleasant. It feels rough and sandy, like charcoal rubbing under his skin.

 _’W-what are you doing?_ John asks it inside his head and feels the charcoal shift near his side. There is a warm sensation, a burning, and then the dullest of aches.

 _’When I take you out, I want you at full health,’_ Dave replies as he moves upwards. John hisses as the dry scratchiness wraps around his brain, pushing and prodding at it. _’And I’m not about to let Bro fuck that up. Selfish prick...’_

The heat moves to his throat and John pants as he feels the swelling go down. Air comes easier, he is able to swallow, and the charcoal touch inside him shifts to spread out through him. His own self pushes at it and tries to get away from it.

 _’Aw, what’s wrong. You didn’t mind me being inside you before.’_ Dave gives a chuckl as he shifts. The charcoal feeling grates on John’s insides and he pushes against it.

 _’Get out,’_ he tells Dave.

 _’But it’s nice in here,’_ Dave replies. _’Can feel all your muscles, your heart beat, and your soul.’_ Dave pauses and squeezes around John, and John realizes that it is his soul that is pushing at him. _’It feels so good.’_ Dave’s voice rattles through John and his soul shudders. 

_’All nice and cool, like being in a pool,’_ Dave chuckles. _’I could just stay in here and swim, and swim, and-’_

 _’You’re burnt,’_ John says as he shoves at Dave again. John can feel Dave’s surprise mingle with his own feelings for a moment. John’s soul pushes at Dave’s again, still trying to get him out, but also somewhat exploring. _’It’s like shoving my hands in a fire pit,’_ John grumbles. Dave’s soul shivers under his and he can feel it almost open up. Curiosity filters through them both and John keeps pressing into the intruding soul. _’It’s all rough, and grainy, and…_ John pauses when he feels something different. It’s dull, warm, and John finds himself reaching for it. _’What’s-’_

Dave shoots out of John so fast it wakes him up. His eyes fly open as he stares at the cold concrete wall of the tunnel. His chest heaves, his eyes search around, his head aches gently, and he feels only the slightest burn in his throat. On his side he can feel that his clothing has been pulled up.

He touches where his tattoo had been and feels a large span of scar tissue.

“What the fuck?” he pants as he gets up on all fours. He coughs a little, his throat feeling sandpaper dry. “Dave?”

The only response he gets is a warm burst of wind.


	3. Mental Scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEADS UP! Mild mentions of self harm! It's literally only about a line long so I didn't put it in the tags but I still want to let y'all know!
> 
> Also, enjoy the longest chapter of the story. I hope I found all of the issues with my betas. This one was a bitch to edit.

John doesn’t dare to breathe as he and Jade sit as still as they can under the sink. Her hand is warm on his mouth. It keeps his frantic breathing as quiet as possible as she pushes the back of her wrist against her own lips; it’s the same hand holding the kitchen knife. John is clutching his father’s old wood handled hammer; the one with rust dusting the claw.

“Get out!” he hears Uncle Jack scream. “Leave us alo-” There is a choking sound and John hears Aunt Sally scream. It’s quickly cut off. John turns to push his head into his cousin’s chest.

“Well that was fuck’n easy,” comes a voice and heavy boost steps. 

“Did you really have to kill them?” A woman’s voice follows. “We’re going to attract attention.”

There is a laugh. “From who?” The male asks. “By the time we’re done, it’ll look like a fuck’n bear came through here. Now help me-”

“Shhhh.” There is a pause before the woman speak, “I smell something.”

Jade’s hand tightens around John’s for a moment before she gently pushes at him. It forces him to move behind her and his body bumps into a few cleaning bottles. 

“There,” the woman half whispers.

John watches the doors to the cabinet with wide eyes as Jade shifts. She gets her feet under her, raises the arm with the knife, and John’s fear soaked brain thinks she looks almost like a cat.

The door is suddenly wrenched open and a face appears. John sees red lips and red eyes smile at him just past Jade’s shoulder.

“Hel-” The man’s mouth doesn’t finish the word. Jade’s little arm swings the knife and John watches it plunge into the man’s neck.

“Go!” Jade screams as she kicks the other cupboard door open. John rushes out as Jade twists the knife in the man’s neck. John shoots past her, trips, and feels sharp hands grab the back of his shirt. Nails cut over the side of John’s neck and he feels blood well up from the jagged scratches.

“Why you little-,” the female voice starts, though it ends in a scream as John flails with the hammer. The clawed end finds a home in the woman’s eye, adding rust and steel to the red iris, and she lets go. John falls and takes the hammer with him. The women lets out a scream that is accented by a wet pop. 

John falls heavily onto something warm and sticky. Looking to his side, he finds his aunt lying prone next to him; he green eyes are wide and empty and the large tear in her throat smiles at him.

John screams and he scrambles upwards. He heads right for the cabin door and grabs the old brass knob.

“John?” The word makes him freeze.

“Daddy?” John turns his head towards the living room and finds a bald head bathed in red. It makes the blue of his father’s eyes stand out so much more. A scream from the kitchen has John spinning around. The man with the red mouth is on the floor and his head isn’t quite touching his body. There is a lot of blood under him and it makes the lady slip as Jade latches on to her. She clings to the woman's back with the knife pushed halfway through her throat. 

“John, go get help,” Jade grits out when he sees her; her face is dripping blood. “John, run.” 

John stands frozen, eyes wide. Is that her blood?

“RUN!” Jade shrieks as the woman grabs her and then hurls her at a wall.

John turns, throws open the door, and runs into something warm. He immediately swings the hammer.

“Hey, whoa,” someone says as they dodge his attack. “It’s okay, it’s okay.” Warm arms wrap around his shoulders and John lets the hammer drop. “Come on, John. Come back to me.”

John gives a sob as he grabs at whomever is holding him. Before he buries his face into their chest he catches glimpses of trees and red glow of sunset around him; feels a blanket under his knees.

“You were having a nightmare, dude.” Hands gently push him back and John finds himself looking up at shiny aviator glasses. They reflect his face back at him; every tear and snot covered inch. Despite the hands trying to push him back, John instead pushes himself back into the smaller guy in front of him and gives a slight, shuddering sob.

“Fuck, Dave,” his voice shakes as he speaks. “I’m so sorry.”

“Hey, no harm no foul.” Dave rubs small circles into John’s back while John relearns how to breathe. “Was it the, you know...?” Dave asks after a few moments.

“Yeah,” John replies. “Yeah it was.” John says as he nods. Pulling back, he wipes at his eyes and forces a small smile. “I’m sorry,” he says as he looks at the half eaten spread around them. “I totally ruined our date.”

Dave pushes at his shoulder and gives a little ‘pffft’. “Yeah, right. At least you didn’t try to stake me with churro this time.”

John whinces. “I’m still sorry about that.”

Dave chuckles and leans back on his hands. He sits propped upwards with his legs sticking out.

“Well, you could always make it up to me.” Dave gives John a smirk that promises some lovely things. John feels his dick jump as Dave’s legs spread out a little wider. John finds himself moving to sit between them.

“Thought so,” Dave chuckles as he reaches forwards and pulls John to him. Their lips come together a bit harsh, but that’s okay. John doesn’t mind harsh with Dave. He’d be a little weirded out if he was gentle. Their tongues taste each other's mouths while John’s hands undo Dave’s jeans and then fish his cock out from the folds of denim.

“Are you ever going to wear underwear?” 

“You ever not going to?”.

John gives a chuckle before he kisses down Dave’s neck. His bare chest is open and ready for him and John nibbles down as he strokes the length in his hand. Dave’s cock is on the long side, not necessarily thick, but John doesn’t mind.

When he makes it down to Dave’s dick, John is hard as well. He reaches between his own thighs and strokes himself as he to lap at Dave’s cock. Dave gives a small, shuddered sigh and lays back on the bed; body going limp below John.

“Comfy?” John asks before he takes the head between his lips, careful of his teeth.

“Very,” Dave sighs as his hands tangle gently in John’s hair. 

John’s head bobs slowly, his head moving at it’s own pace while Dave lays back and languidly cards his fingers over John’s skull. It spurs John to take Dave a little deeper, then a little more, though he can’t comfortably take more than half of Dave down. His fingers squeeze the base instead; stimulating where his mouth can’t. That is, until Dave shoves down.

John’s eyes go wide, and he fights to push back up as his throat constricts.

“Come on,” Dave pants. “You could take Bro.”

John’s eyes shoot upwards and red ones look down at him.

“I know you can take me.” He shoves John down again and John’s eyes fly open.

The car has grown warm and John finds himself panting both from the nightmare and the heat. Even with the windows rolled down it’s at least eighty degrees inside if not warmer.

With a groan he sits up. The scenic overlook and rest stop is mostly empty seeing as there isn’t much to look at. While Nebraska can be pretty, it’s planes are a bit monotonous, and it’ll be a while until John hits the tree thickets up north.

“Just another bad dream,” he murmurs to himself before opening the car door. “Just another fucking nightmare.”

John steps out, lifts his hands straight up, and stretches in the sun. The skin on his right side pulls a little from the scar Dave left only a short while ago. He’ll need to get a new tattoo soon, more discrete. Maybe the bottom of his foot? He knows Jade got hers on the underside of her left breast. He can only guess how painful that had been. 

The sun is starting to hang low in the west and John knows he’s going to need to get a few hours of driving in if he wants to meet Jade up north. Grandpa thinks there is a Wendigo hanging around a small town in lower Canada, right on the border, and John had immediately made a beeline. Anything to get away from the two incubi haunting his dreams, if that’s even possible. So far, almost every time he closes his eyes he sees at least one of them. 

When they feature Dave’s brother they are violent, and depending on who bests whom, one of them ends up with a cock down their throat. Usually it’s John. Those are the ones he can stand. The ones with Dave, well…

John shakes his head. _’Don’t fucking think about it,’_ he tells himself. _’More you think about him the more you’ll dream about him.’_ The problem is, it’s been really hard not to think about Dave. The first few dreams after the fight in the tunnel were of just him and John mindlessly fighting, fucking, or even both. But then they got oddly...sweet. In one dream they had started in a fairground where Dave won John a stuffed rabbit. Another time they had been in the woods at midnight, watching far off fireworks as Dave sucked John off and then fucked him on the forest floor. To be honest, out of the two, the dreams with Dave are the most unsettling. John wouldn’t be nearly as disturbed by them if they had stayed violent like the ones with Bro.

After a quick piss John is ready to go. He pops the tab on a fresh, though warm, energy drink; finds the clearest radio station he can that is playing some form of music from the last few decades, and pulls out of the parking lot. John heads back onto the highway and points his car north.

\-----------------

Carrying bags and talking on the phone is not easy to do.

“Nanna, seriously I’m fine,” John says as he opens his hotel room door and pushes inside. The familiar smell of air freshener and disinfectant settles into his nose as he tosses his bag to the side. “I’ve been taking naps on the way up and pulling off every 3-4 hours just like you taught me.”

“Well that’s a relief, though you know I still worry. You and Jade run around killing who knows what; yet out of all the things I worry about killing you it’s that you’ll succumb to sleep deprivation while driving.” Nanna's voice is filled with annoyance. 

“Nanna, that’s what redbull is for,” John jokes, though he can’t keep all of the exhaustion out of his voice.

“How you drink that swill I will never understand,” Nanna sniffs. “I sent Jade off with some herbs for you to steep when you go to bed, and I know there are coffee pots in those motel rooms so don’t you dare tell me you can’t boil any water to steep it in.”

“Really, Nanna, I’m fine,” John sighs. While his Nanna's home remedies are usually quite good at doing what needs to be done, they don’t usually taste too good. At least, not unless they are baked into cakes or cookies; then they’re awesome.

“Uh-uh, I don’t want to hear it,” she snips. “I know you aren’t sleeping, and ashwagandha will help with your nightmares too, John.”

John feels his heart jump in his throat. “How did you…”

“I’m your Grandmother, dear,” she replies with a smile in her voice. “And I know you and your cousin can’t do what you do without nightmares. Jade took some with her too.”

That makes John feel a bit better as he sits down on the bed. It creaks slightly, though John can already tell the mattress is going to be pretty darn comfortable.

“Alright, Nanna. I promise I’ll take it,” he says gently.

“Good.” The word is followed by a yawn.

“Alright, now your turn to go to bed,” John chuckles. “It’s like, what, midnight there?” 

“Yes, but I’m in the middle of some herb research and you forget that your Nanna doesn’t like getting up before noon.”

John can’t help but laugh. “So that’s where I get it from.”

“Well you didn’t get it from your father,” Nanna says gently. “Joel never was one to sleep in. Your uncle Jack on the other hand...”

“I remember,” John says softly. “Dad always had to be the first one up so that there were pancakes on the table and Uncle Jack would do the dishes.” 

Silence seeps over the line. John hears a small sigh.

“Love you, Nanna,” John says softly. He feels a dull ache in his chest.

“Love you too, John,” Nanna replies solemnly. “Now, please, get some sleep.”

“I will. Good night.” 

Nanna repeats the words back and John hangs up. He tosses the phone on the bed, stands, and heads to the bathroom. In seconds he is stripped down to nothing, has the shower turned on, and begins to wash off the smell of car leather, fast food, and sweat. Driving for eighteen hours straight is never fun, and while he’s used to the smell that comes with it, he would rather not carry it around with him all night.

As soon as he’s done John walks out and flops back on the bed; foregoing clothes for a bit and lets his body air drying. The bed is a king, amazingly enough, and it is ridiculously comfortable. It’s rare for him to get a nice bed like this in these small motels.

John sighs as he thinks about getting up. There are traps in his bag that need to get set: the devil’s trap blanket, salt filled bendy tubes that need to be laid, the floor needs to be tested, and John needs to write his chalk wards. 

Rolling over, John stares at the ceiling and thinks about all these things he needs to do, yet he doesn’t move. The bed is comfortable, his last hunt with a disgruntled ghost had gone well, and for the first time in a long time he feels marginally relaxed. Even the knowledge that when he does finally go to bed he’s going to have nightmares doesn’t is nothing more than a buzzing in the back of his skull as he dozes on the clean comforter.

\----------------

John wakes up with a start and sits up quick enough to make his head spin. The force of it makes John take pause as he pulls in deep breathes looks around the room. He searches the shadows with frantic eyes but there is nothing there; no blonde men wanting to murder him, no vampires trying to tear open his neck, and no traces of torn apart loved ones. John shudders as he lays back down in the open air, his body covered in a slight sheen of sweat. He takes a few deep breathes and glances out one of the windows. John freezes.

The salt sticks aren’t where they should be.

“Shit!” He dashes upwards and just about trips over his own feet. He had fallen asleep before setting anything up, god damn it! How could he be so stupid? Rushing to his suitcase, he tugs down the zipper and grabs some of the tubes out. It takes him only a few moments to get the salt tubes set up all over the windows and in front of the doors. John then goes back to his bag to grab his devil’s trap doormat and duvet cover. As soon as he opens the blanket he knows somethings wrong.

“The fuck?” The pattern doesn’t look right, not at all, and John’s pulse speeds up as he begins to pull it out. Lifting it up above his head, John spread it out at arm's length so that he can see it fully. The circle is there, but the star inside is wrong. Six sided, not five. Some of the symbols are also nonsense. “How in the-” John trails off as he lowers it. Immediately he jumps back.

“Hello, John.” Dave is stands before him wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. John drops the blanket and takes a step back. 

He forgot to ward and now Dave’s found him. _’Shit. Shit shit shit, I’m a fucking idiot.’_ The thought spikes through John’s skull as his heart races. The hell is he going to do? He doesn’t even have his wards up! John continues to retreat until he hits something; hands clamp down on his arms and hold him still.

“You miss us?” 

Oh god, oh god it’s Dave’s brother’s voice.

“Well I’m sure he missed me,” Dave says before John can speak. “Got hard the moment he saw me, though with you Bro...” Dave cocks his head to the side and looks at John’s crotch. “I think he’s lagging a bit.” John hadn’t even realized how hard he had gotten just from seeing Dave. Damn those fucking dreams, damn all of it. 

“Aw, what’s wrong Johnny,” Bro murmurs into his ear. The words are like fiberglass lined silk and they make John thrash. “Not happy to see me.” 

John turns his head just enough to glare at him.

“I swear to god I am going to--” he’s cut off with a gasp as a warm hand wraps around his cock. Dave pushes up flush against him.

“Going to what?” Dave purrs against John’s throat. “Beg? Because if so, get started.” The smile he gives feels sharp against John’s neck and not just because of Dave’s teeth. John breathes heavily as he looks around the room for something to use, but there is nothing. It’s all still in his bag. 

_‘Fuck, oh fuck,’_ he panics. 

“On your knees, Johnny boy,” Bro growls as he shoves John down by his shoulders. John’s knees ache when they hit the floor. He bites back a hiss as Bro leans down and grabs his hands. He crosses them and then twists them upwards; John’s left hand pointed to his right shoulder and right hand pointed to his left. It burns like a bitch and he has to blink away moisture as his eyes search for a way out. He doesn’t get to see much before the hand that was on his cock is holding his jaw. Bro kneels behind him, hands staying tight on John’s wrists as his knees pin and his calves to the floor. He can feel bruises blooming from the pressure already.

“Think you’re ready to do for me what you did for Bro?” Dave asks and licks his lips.

“S-stop,” John tries. Dave just laughs.

“Sorry.” Dave gives a smile. “I don’t want your consent anymore. Though I have to say, you gave it to me a lot more often than I thought you would.”

John’s eyes go wide as his heart stalls. “Wh-what?”

“Aw, you didn’t think all those times were just your brain did you?” Dave thumb strokes John’s chin in a sickeningly familiar way.

“My brother's got a bit of a thing for you,” Bro adds in John’s ear. It makes him shiver. “He’s been following you for a while now and waiting for you to really slip up.” Bro licks the shell of John’s ear before sucking in the lobe.

“B-but the traps,” he gasps. 

Dave laughs. “You hunters never think about the pipes.” Dave yanks John’s jaw down. 

The pipes? How the fuck could he get in through the pipes? The questions tumble through John’s skull as he attempts to figure out a way to keep Dave’s cock out of his throat. He tries to thrash, but the way Bro is pinning his arms makes it painful and threatens to dislocate a shoulder. Gasping, John looks up at Dave with wide eyes and...wait. Dave’s face is crystal clear but John’s not wearing his glasses. A slight red glow tints his skin.

 _’I’m dreaming.’_ The thought gives him hope.

“I wonder if Bro was exaggerating about how much you can take,” Dave murmurs as he goes to push his cock past John’s lips. Just before he can, John yanks his head hard to the side and bites down on his own tongue as hard as he can. A moment later his eyes fly open and he is laying on the bed in the dark with the taste of copper in his mouth. 

“Fuck,” John pant as he sits up slowly and rubs at his face. His entire body is trembling. “It was a dream,” he manages to say as he looks around the room. All of his traps are set and ready. He had forced himself to get up and put everything in place before passing out. It wasn’t until he had checked it twice that he had finally climbed under his blankets in nothing but his boxers. Now, however, John’s devil's trap blanket is kicked down around his feet again. No wonder he’s so cold. Well, most of him. John’s cock is half hard and lagging against his thigh.

“Fuck,” he says again as he lays back on the bed with his limbs spread out. Sighing through his nose, John works to even his breathing and begins to will away his erection. He thinks about maybe taking another shower, not only to cool himself down but also to remove the sheen of sweat from his body. He focusses on that sensation and uses it to make his dick droop.

Something warm pushes through the opening in John’s boxer and around his dick. “Well if you’re not going to take care of yourself…” 

John jolts upright. Suddenly there are arms around his chest and something hard and warm against his back.

“I told you, John,” Dave says from between John’s legs and this time his body is fully nude. “You always forget about the pipes.” 

\----------------------

Dave smirks up at John from between his legs, and oh how nice it is to touch him again. He’s been having to sneak around his mind for too long; pulling tricks when all he’s wanted to do is wake him up and ravish him in every way possible. Ever since the night he had burrowed down into John’s soul he’s wanted nothing more than to own it. If he were of a higher level he would have tried to make a deal long ago. Too bad deals made in dreams are always invalid.

“Come on John, we’ve had so much fun,” Dave tells him. “Don’t you want to show Bro how much fun we can have?” Truthfully, Dave doesn’t want to be sharing with Bro, he’s actually still pretty pissed with his brother, but the second Bro got a taste of John he wanted to be there when Dave finished him. 

“Can’t cut me out now,” Bro had told him. “I want to see how he feels around us both.” 

It’s an idea that Dave is all too turned on by, even if it does piss him off.

Bro licks John’s cheek and Dave feels a spike of both lust and jealousy. John thrashes a bit and gasps as Dave’s claws quickly shred his underwear. He bites back a growl though it doesn’t make much difference. Bro’s always been good at telling when his moods have changed and now is no different. It’s hard for Dave to hide a snarl when Bro smirks down at him.

“What’s wrong, lil’ man?” Bro asks as John squirms in his grasp. “Don’t want to share?” 

“Have I ever wanted to share you with anyone?” Dave replies. He starts to move up as if for a kiss but Bro pulls back.

“Liar,” Bro says before he nips at John’s ear.

“Learned from the best.” Dave goes to lay between John’s legs which John’ promptly tries to snap shut, but Dave’s hands easily hold them apart at the knees. He pushes them back and up a little, and Bro helps shift John so that Dave can get right where he wants to be.

“F-fucking stop,” John pants as Dave begins to lick a line up his cock. “Dave, please, stop, I-” The words are swallowed by Bro’s mouth. Daves does his best not to react and busty himself with the taste of John’s cock. The only thing that gives him pause is when John lets out a little cry of pain as Bro bites his lip.

Dave feels his stomach burn before he takes John into his mouth and sucks down hard. This time John makes a sound for him, though the hands Dave expects in his hair don’t come and annoyance floods through him. If this is going to be his last time with this hunter he at least wants John to be able to touch him. He doubts Bro will go for the idea though. John’s just as tricky as they are and he doesn’t doubt there is a hidden banishing sigil somewhere in the room. Not to mention the ones on either side of the bed. He gets a hand on either of those and they are gone.

Keeping his wants to himself, Dave sucks just how he knows John likes it. More sounds come and Dave looks up through his lashes to watch John’s head fly back. Bro takes the moment to bite into John’s throat, right over a series of fine scars, and pulls a cry of pain and pleasure from John as Bro sucks at the mark. Dave feels his blood heat. He had told Bro about that spot, how John had got it and what touching it did to him. That was his spot to play with. Bro looks down at Dave through half lidded eyes and a bloodied smirk. Dave responds by working John’s cock harder and gets John’s cries to come more from the stimulation of his dick than the bites and kisses to his throat. 

“D-Dave,” he whimpers when Dave pushes his fingers between John’s cheeks. It’s more of a plea of mercy than one of want, though Dave isn’t going to stop. By the end of tonight John’s going to be dead and Dave isn’t letting him go without feeling him around his dick one more time.

“You’re really going to prep him?” Bro asks as Dave’s fingers become slick. He slips a finger inside John and he tries to thrash, but Bro’s hands are vice tight on him and keep him in place. Dave silently wishes he’d let up a bit. 

“I don’t want him screaming in pain,” Dave says as he pops off John’s cock. “I want him screaming for me.” 

“For us,” Bro corrects and Dave feels his blood sizzle. He looks up at John’s wide, blue eyes, and does his best to not grit his teeth when he replies.

“Right,” he says as he keeps his gaze locked with John’s. “For us.” 

\-------------------- 

Dave’s words make John’s body flood with panic. 

_’Us? US!? What the fuck do they mean by us!?’_

“W-what are you talking about?” His thighs ache as his muscles jerk in their attempts to close his legs. “Let me go-oh god,” John gasps out the last bit as Dave’s mouth descends back down and swallows him to the hilt. Fucking… “Exorcizamus te,” he pants out as he tries to pretend there is nothing inside him.

“Na-ah, Johnny,” Bro says as his fingers shove their way past John’s lips and silent his chant. John immediately tries to bite down but Bro’s fingers hook and press into the bite on John’s tongue at the last second. John gags and pants around the fingers.

“You’re not sending us away before I get to eat ya out,” Bro purrs.“Literally, of course.” Bro nips John’s throat hard and it leaves a solid sting and a sticky smear of blood. It sends a jolt through him as the old scars on his neck tingle. They almost burn when Bro laps a line over them. “Been wondering what your heart tastes like. If it’s anything like your fear then I’ll be eating good tonight.” He gives an exaggerated sniff against John’s neck that makes John shake. 

John wants to make some sort of retort back, start the exorcism again, but with the fingers in his mouth that’s impossible. Even if they weren’t, with Dave sliding another finger into him it makes his speech into nothing but a groan from the gentle burn. The dichotomy between Bro and Dave are so different. Dave isn’t being rough at all and the softness of it is confusing to the part of John’s brain that is also dealing with the bites and hickeys being marked along his throat. 

Dave’s mouth stays tight around John’s cock as he keeps adding fingers, spreading John and slicking him up with the lubrication his fingers seem to produce. Each finger he adds is a new burn tuned pleasure. He can feel each knuckle pressing into him and when Dave’s fingers push up against his prostate little shocks rocket through him. The mouth on John’s cock swallows and laps in ways that leave his body wanting more even if his mind doesn’t. It builds with each such of his cock, each finger that makes its way inside, and once Dave gets a fist in John his body can’t physically take it anymore. The pleasure of the forced orgasm edges on pain with Dave’s knuckles sliding over John’s prostate. John whimpers and thrashes gently as he is forced to shoot cum down Dave’s throat. Dave swallows around his dick and John hates how good it feels.

Dave comes off with a pop and smiles.

“He’s all ready.” Dave voice sounds is slightly hoarse as he back up. Bro lets out a little growl and moves his hand away from John’s mouth; his fingers spread sticky spit and blood over John’s arm. Dave removes his hand slowly from inside John and the sound he lets out is pitiful. His body is shaking and the muscles in his legs jump as Dave fully removes his hand. John opens his mouth to try and say something, maybe begin the chant again, but all that comes out are incoherent syllables.

“Aw, don’t worry John,” Bro tells him as he moves John’s body about. “You won’t be empty for long.” John’s limbs feel heavy even without the force of Bro’s grasp and it is hard to fight the sluggishness. The best he can do is try to push Dave away with one of his legs and pull away from Bro.”

“W-wh-” John can’t get the word out before Dave kisses him. He can taste his cum on Dave’s tongue as it shoves into his mouth. It mingles with the taste of the blood and makes John’s tongue sting. John lets out a pained groan as Bro and Dave sandwich him between themselves; their hands keep him in place as he attempts to thrash. Out of the corner of his eye he sees the blur of one of his sigils. A quick smudge and the banishing circles would be complete. Bro must notice what he’s looking at because he just laughs.

“Feeling kinda stupid now not invoking one of those before going to bed, aren’t ya?” Bro nips at John’s ear. “I mean, really, did you really think we’d ever let you even get close to one of those?” John’s stomach drops. 

Dave nuzzles at John’s throat. “I wonder if you wanted this to happen.” 

“No-” John starts before Dave cuts him off.

“Really?” He gives a shrug. “Could have fooled me. All these wards and not a single one activated. Just like when I first met you. I wonder...do you like setting traps with you as the bait?” 

John shuts his eyes and grits his teeth.

Bro lets out a laugh. “And here we thought you were smart.” 

Dave pushes a much too gentle kiss to his neck. “Well now you know what happens when you use yourself as bait.” Dave hands suddenly grip John with a bruising pressure. “You bring in the beasts.”

“And we can’t wait to tear you apart,” Bro growls as he pulls John’s against his chest. Bro lets go of John’s arms and Dave grabs them by the elbows. With his now free hands, Bro lifts John’s legs beneath the knee and spreads them. John tries to flail but he can’t move in the tight space between their bodies. Below John, Dave hooks his legs over Bro’s hips and pushes close. Dave’s mouth comes away from John’s and John can see a bit of blood smeared on Dave’s lips.

“I want you to scream for me, John,” Dave pants, actually pants as John feel the press of not one but two cocks against his hole. Oh god, oh fuck they can’t really…

“Please,” John squeaks as he realizes what is about to happen. They won’t fit; they can’t.

“Please what?” Dave asks him. They are both steadying John and getting him into position above them. 

“No, please, just...” John tries again. They can’t do this, it will tear him apart, destroy him. The fist had been bad enough, but this? “Stop.” 

Dave’s smirk falters a little before it is back.

“Sorry, John,” he says softly and caresses his cheek. “I really don’t give a shit what you want anymore.” 

Bro lowers John and John lets out a scream that is quickly muffled by Dave’s mouth. Even if he does want to start the chant again there is no way to do so as he is slid down onto the two of them much too fast. It burns, more than the fingers ever did, but somehow they are fitting and spreading John wide as he thrashs against their arms and bodies. Words try and fail to come from his throat as tears spring to his eyes.

“Just as tight as you said he was,” Bro pants behind John and sinks his teeth into his shoulder. Dave breaks the kiss and just watches John’s face with half lidded eyes. This close his expression is barely blurred from John’s lack of glasses though the tears in John’s eyes make him into a pale smear. John bites his lip and does his best to keep as quiet as possible as they thrust. He will not give them the pained sounds he knows they want, he won’t, but it’s so hard not to when it feels like his body is going to be torn right up the middle.

_’Breathe.’_

John barely hears Dave say it and is amazed to find he is actually holding his breath. Dave’s hands pull John’s thrashing arms forwards. John surprises himself when he clings to Dave’s shoulders. It hurts, holy fuck it hurts, and Bro gives off an almost purr as John lets out a little sob as Bro’s hips roll up hard.

“Bro,” Dave says almost harshly. “We’re only getting to do this once, so calm your dick and let’s savor this, alright?” Dave sounds annoyed as he says it and John trembles as hands rub over his sides. One pauses over the scar Dave left and rubs small circles into it. John shuts his eyes against the familiarity of it.

“Aw, lil’ man, I thought the point was the break him?” Bro gives a chuckle that dies quickly. John doesn’t see the look Dave gives him but it must be bad.

“Yeah, fine,” Bro grumbles. The next roll of his hips aren’t as harsh. Bro’s hands lower John’s legs a little though, and the back of his thighs brush over Dave’s hips. It makes him take more of them and it hurts, it really does, but under it all John can feel the pleasure coming back. He’d rather it burn.

This is so fucking wrong and yet somehow his body is still trying to get him off on it. John’s arms tighten around Dave more as he buries his face in Dave’s neck and grits his teeth. He opens his mouth to try and get the chant out. Instead it comes out as a broken, little sound as Bro spikes upwards inside him. Despite Dave’s warning, Bro is moving faster inside John than Dave is, jerkier, while Dave goes slow and smooth.

“I’ve got you,” Dave says softly in John’s ear and he almost sobs. He wants Dave to curse him, taunt him, not suddenly be acting like a lover. It reminds him too much of the dreams; of when his brain had made Dave into someone loving. It was wrong then, and is wrong now, but John latches onto it because it is kindness; with all the rest of the horribleness around him it is a life preserver filled with holes.

“Fuck,” Bro huffs as he begins to lose his tempo. HIs hips start moving so harshly against John’s body that he actually makes John jerk upwards. Dave doesn’t stop him but his hands do massage John’s thighs as they both begin to move faster and harder. John grits his teeth. 

“So tight,” Dave murmurs into John’s neck. _“So fucking tight and you’re mine.”_

Bro just pants and growls. At one point he pulls Dave face away from John and kisses him hard and sloppy. Their mouths move next to John’s cheek and he shudders as they speed up even more. Bro starts to slam John down and he finds that he can’t stay quiet anymore.

“A-ah!” John cries out before he bites into Dave’s shoulder. Dave lets out what almost sound like ‘yes’ and there is suddenly a hand on John’s half flaccid cock. John bites harder as Dave pumps him and Dave and Bro pump themselves inside John. John bites so hard that he can taste the copper of blood and feels a jolt of nausea deep in his belly.

“Say my name,” Bro growls in John’s ear. “Been wanting to hear you say it.” 

John grits his teeth into Dave’s flesh instead. Dave squeezes John’s dick in a way that makes him have to gasp. 

“Please,” Dave whispers in John’s ear. There is a warning in the words and it twists John’s stomach to know that even Dave is warning him against staying silent.

“Bro,” John grits out. The word is as bitter and salty as the blood on his lips.

“No, not that one.” John feels Dave’s body tighten under him. “Dirk.” 

John jolts at the sudden thrust that follows though the angle tells him it isn’t from Bro. John looks up at Dave and finds that Dave is glaring over John’s shoulder. 

Fingers wrap around the underside of John’s chin and force his head painfully sideways. The tendons in his neck strain as Bro forces him to look up and to the side and right into the amber of his eyes.

“Say my name or I’ll eat your tongue,” Bro growls.

John closes his eyes. “D-Dirk.” The word is strained and airy, both from the way his head is being pulled and the fingers digging into the soft flesh of his neck. It tastes like blood and bile on his tongue.

“Look at me when you fucking say it,” Bro snarls and his hip buck up hard. John’s hands clutch at Dave and Dave’s hands steady him. They are the only thing holding him up anymore.

John opens his eyes and hates how moist they feel. “Dirk.” 

Bro’s mouth is hot and sharp as it latches onto John’s. His free hand digs into John’s thigh as he bucks. Pained cries leave John as Bro pushes up hard and drives his cock into the walls of John’s insides. John chokes as a tongue is shoved into his mouth. It is hot, sticky, and John shuts his eyes. As the tongue wriggles inside his mouth John feels heat suddenly spill inside him as Bro cums. He can’t help the sob that escapes his lungs as the uncomfortably hot spunk fills him. The only good that comes from it is the extra lubrication for Dave and Bro’s cocks. 

Bro pulls away from John’s mouth, releases his neck, and then shoves him towards Dave. With a jerk, he pulls out of John, and John lets out a pained cry as he flails a little. For a moment he thinks he might fall but Dave’s arms are quickly around John’s chest. They hold him tight as Bro falls back onto the bed. 

“Damn,” Bro drawls as he lays back. “He’s got a sweet little voice. Maybe I should eat his tongue.”

“You’re name is not going to be the last thing he says.” Dave’s voice sends spikes of fear through John as his arms tighten around him. 

“Aw, what’s wrong? Jealous I let someone else say it?” 

Dave doesn’t respond. He just shifts John closer. 

John gives a gasp as Dave’s single cock slides in deeper than the two could together. Compared to both, Dave’s girth is almost soothing. It’s still painful, there’s no real way around that, John’s pretty sure he’s been torn apart inside, but at least it’s no longer two. 

“You gonna give me a show?” Bro’s voice is sandpaper on John’s nerves.

“You got your show. He’s mine now.” Dave’s voice is cold though his hands are gentle as they rub at John’s lower back. 

Bro lets out a ‘tch’ sound as Dave helps John get his legs around Dave’s hips and hushes him when he lets out pained sounds and sobs. Even though John is bigger than Dave, could probably beat his ass if he wasn’t a demon, John feels very, very small. He’s sure that without Dave’s arms holding him up he would crumple into a pile and never get up. He’s not sure he’d ever want to move again after this.

The kiss to the side of his head is gentle and John shudders at the small press of affection. Dave nuzzles the underside of his chin and John curl's forwards. He refuses to look at Dave. He just clings to the body holding him and tries to pretend he’s anywhere else.

 _’Shit, he did a number on you.’_ The voice slides into John’s mind as he feels Dave’s soul slide along his. John lets out a shuddered gasp as he clings tighter and finds that Dave has gone mostly still. _’Fucking prick,’_ Dave grumbles as John feels his insides start to stitch together. The pain is starting to lessen and his body twitches around the cock inside him.

 _’There we go. How about we get some better sounds coming out of ya?’_ Dave’s hips jerk up and John lets out a surprised gasp of pleasure. The burned out soul inside him shifts and pressure pushes along his cock. He can feel it both inside and out. John’s body can’t fight the sensation and his flaccid dick begins to grow hard.

 _’That’s what I like,’_ Dave murmurs into his mind as he kisses up his neck. The marks over John’s scars seem to be healing. Dave’s mouth worries over them instead and leaves behind new marks where Bro’s once were.

 _’I want to feel that thing deep.’_

John’s brain spins in confusion for a moment before his breathing catches. Dave’s hands push him down into the bed as his cock pushes in and then pulls out in a long, slow stroke. John can feel Bro’s cum drip from his ass as the head of Dave’s cock pulls out of him. John gives a pained gasp and grips tight as Dave’s soul pushes along inside him.

Dave kisses John’s mouth, laps at his lips, and John lets the tongue into his mouth when Dave pushes his cock back inside him. Dave brushes it along John’s tongue and teeth, over the bites Bro left, and John can feel them stitch back together with the help of the soul moving around inside him.

 _’Why?_ John whimpers. A small, broken sound comes from his mouth as Dave slides out of him again. 

_’Because like hell I’m letting you die with his marks too.’_

John’s stomach shoots down as he shakes. Dave’s still going to kill him. His mind reaches for the chant that could banish them but Dave’s soul bats it away. 

_’Ah-ah. I want my turn._ He pulls back from John, kisses his neck, and slowly rotates them to have more room on the bed. 

_’What are you doing?_ John asks as he is moved diagonally and away from Bro. His lower back aches in a way that isn’t really painful, but it is definitely sore.

_’You’ll see.’_

\-----

Dave’s got one last time and he’s not going to waste it. He glares at Bro as he lays John down and slides out of him. John gasps and Dave knows that only a little of the sound is from actual pain. 

“You fuckin’ serious right now?” Bro asks as he sits with his arms crossed. He’s reclined back on the bed like he owns it. Dave shoves at his feet. 

“Only ever had his dick in dreams,” Dave tells his brother as he goes to straddle John’s hips. “I want it like this at least once.” 

Surprise filters into him from John and Dave can’t help but smile. He can’t put all of his soul into John, but even this is enjoyable. It’s like wrapping himself up in a cool, minty balm and then laying out in a warm wind.

“Then I want him again after,” Bro grumbles.

“Shut up,” Dave replies as he goes to sit on John’s cock. There is pain, but what’s a little pain to someone who’s had their body and soul flayed like a fish? It’s just as akin to pleasure as anything else and Dave groans as John’s girth starts to fill him. Dave pants a little as he moves to seat himself; taking every wonderfully thick inch as he does. 

_’Dave!?’_ The word comes through high and sharp and Dave’s soul drinks it in while Dave’s ears listen to John whimper in confusion.

“Shhh, come here,” Dave says as he leans forwards. Dave’s tongue prods at John’s while his hands tug John up. He manages to get John into the position that they were in before, only this time John is the one sitting and Dave has his legs wrapped around John’s waist. John’s hands push at him again, like he might actually be able to get Dave off.

“Come on, John,” he murmurs. “Don’t you want to stab me back?” He rolls his hips and John’s hands stutter and ball up against Dave’s chest. “You do, don’t you,” Dave hums. He rolls his hips again and spins shards of his soul inside John. John’s hips buck a bit and Dave can feel how much he hates it.

 _’Why don’t you just kill me?’_ John’s voice is somewhere between sorrow and numb and his hips are moving more on autopilot than out of any actual pleasure. Dave doubts the guy even has the energy to talk outside of his head anymore. It makes his stomach drop.

 _’Cuz I’m not ready for you to die just yet.’_ Dave distracts John’s mind with another press down of his hips and is rewarded with a tired buck. 

“Come on, I know you’ve got more than that,” Dave murmurs into his hair. “I know you want to do better than that.”

He pushes into John’s soul, spurs it on, and rocks his hips. The more the body responds, the more John’s mind recedes, and Dave lets it go. He can’t go in after it without losing his solid form and the last thing he needs is Bro bitching about him cheating. Instead he moves his hips, closes his eyes, and listens to the half gasped moans that slip from John’s mouth. He hates the sound of each and every one. Hates that the last time he’ll hear them there isn’t more than a whisper of John’s real self behind them.

Out of everything right now Dave wants John’s gasping giggles and surprisingly deep laugh laugh. He wants that stupid, big toothed smile John gave him when they went to the amusement park and misses how it really feels to have John hold him and not this odd clinging.

“Say my name, John,” Dave says softly as he rocks his hips and feels an unwelcome orgasm sneak forwards. 

“Dave.” It comes out bland. There isn’t anything to it but exhausted.

Dave’s hips move faster and the hands on his hips barely flex. There is no strength to them. 

_Fuck he doesn’t want this at all._ He’s not sure if he’s talking more about himself or John.

 _’Just kill me.’_ The plea echoes through John as Dave get’s close and his hips stutter.

“Please, Dave.” The words are whispered and airy; John’s body accepting his own orgasm sullenly while Dave finds his slipping away. Dave looks up and sees John’s blue eyes. They look almost grey.

“Please.”

Something deep inside twitches.

Dave feels sick.

\-------

Warmth shoots from John’s cock unexpectedly as the soul inside him shoves at something. He clutches the body he’s holding, buries his head into Dave’s shoulder, and feels Dave’s walls spasm around his dick. 

“John,” Dave pants as his hands grip at him. “John.”

John barely listens as he just focuses on the fact that it’s almost over. A few more seconds and then he can just fucking die. That’s all he’s going to be able to do now. There is no way his legs are going to work and his arms alone aren’t going to be able to fend them off.

Dave’s arms stay tight around John’s shoulders when he stops moving. His cock pushes against John’s stomach and John feels a bare dribble of cum on his skin. It’s warm, unpleasant, and John barely pays any attention to it.

“Well that was fucking boring,” John hears Bro drawl behind him. “You been reading Daddy’s shitty romance novels again?”

“Shut up, Bro,” Dave murmurs as John’s head is lifted. He lets the hand hold up his chin before lips meet his and the edge of Dave’s soul is suddenly back.

 _‘Don’t move,’_

“Like hell I am, that was bullshit. I thought I taught you better than that,” Bro says behind him. He continues to bitch as Dave kisses John deeply. John gives a small shudder as Dave pulls himself off his dick. A slight escapes into Dave’s mouth.

Dave’s hands move up to either side of John’s head, framing it as they kiss as his thumbs pets John’s cheeks and his fingers dig into his hair. The hands go vice like before he pulls away and stares into John’s eyes; the same eyes Bro is currently claiming he wants to eat. 

_‘Don’t even breathe,’_ Dave tells him. John stare at him and feels his heart hammering in his chest. What is going on? Shouldn’t they be tearing him apart?

“Dave?” John starts to ask but it's cut off as the hands on either side of his head suddenly twist fast and hard. Dave’s soul is there, cushioning something, and amazingly there is only a bare hint of pain as a crack echoes through the room. They both go still and John almost moves to make sure it wasn’t actually his neck. If not for another ‘don’t move’ that echoes in his mind he would have. John goes limp instead and lets Dave’s hands hold him up by his head. 

“The fuck!” Bro cries as Dave let’s go of John’s skull and lets him fall to the side. “You said I could finish him.”

“And you believed me?” Dave chuckles. John can barely see Dave in his peripheral as he gives a lazy stretch. Inside him he feels the soul spreading out over him like a blanket. Even to himself his heartbeat suddenly feels muted.

“You little son of a bitch,” Bro growls as Dave just laughs.

“Stop being so butt hurt. I thought it was poetic. He was acting almost like he thought I was on his side or some shit. It was just too perfect not to break his fucking neck.” 

John wants to take a breath as Dave speaks but he doesn’t. Instead, John lets his lungs burn like the rest of his body.

“You really have been reading that romance bullcrap,” Bro grumbles. He sounds sullen, and if John could see him, he’s pretty sure Bro would look like a child denied their favorite toy.

“Come on.” Dave starts to get up. “Let’s get out of here before someone comes to investigate this shit. No doubt we got a few noise complaints.”

“But I want to eat his eyes,” Bro whines.

“Yeah? And then what? We take on the rest of his family?” John hears Dave get off the bed. The sheet of soul inside him stays put. “Remember what I told you, his cousin is at least twice as good as him.”

“Good, sounds like fun.”

“You’ve got a fucking death wish, _Dirk_.”

There is a sound of a smack. “What did I tell you about using that name outside of the bedroom.”

“Still in it aren’t we?” John hears Dave spit and feels something warm on his chest.

“Yeah, guess we are, _lil’man._ ” John feels tension fill the room. 

“Whatever, Bro,” Dave sighs. “Let’s just get the fuck out of here. I’m done with hunters.” Dave’s voice fades, turing light and airy. A moment later two gusts of wind zip over John and straight for the bathroom. There is a gurgling from the tub and then silence. As they do the last tinges of Dave’s soul dissapear from John.

John doesn’t move for a while longer. It’s a trick, it has to be a trick. After all that they wouldn’t just let him live, would they? 

It isn’t until John feels as though he’s going to pass out that he finally breathes in. It’s a shaking gasp that comes out a cough before he slowly gets to his hands and knees. Everything aches, burns, and John lets out a small sob when he finally gets to his feet.

Why? Why would Dave do that? 

Staggering off the bed, John uses the nearby wall to support himself. John lifts a shaking hand and puts his thumb on a large glob of chalk dust in the middle of a sigil and pulls it down. It finishes the last symbol in his ward and he feels the little dome of protection go up around the room. It does nothing to make him feel better as he leans against the wall and lets tears drip onto the table.

“Why?” The word echoes in the empty room.

John reaches from the sheath behind the headboard and grabs his knife. The handle feels brittle under his fingers as he steps away. On numb legs, John drags himself to the shower and steps beneath the spray as soon as it starts. It goes from freezing to burning in only a minute and his skin burns from the heat; it doesn’t feel hot enough. He cleans the last of the cum from his backside and sobs when he sees small chunks of tissues and trails of blood. He had been right, Bro had torn him apart. 

_’Then Dave healed you.’_

John grits his teeth as he pushes his back against the shower tiles and slides down to sit on the floor. He holds the knife loosely in his fist as he lets tears drip into the spiralling water.

 _’He’s torturing you,’_ part of him says. _’Wants you alive so he can see what he’s done to you.’_ It’s the only thing that makes sense to him. Why else would Dave do that? Threaten to kill him and then leave him broken. He’s fucking with him, has to be. 

John grits his teeth and grips the handle tighter. Well, if that’s what he’s doing, then John won’t let him have the satisfaction. The blade flips easily in his hand and the tip pushes right into his elbow. It barely starts to bite before he freezes. 

Water runs down his face and hair, over his slightly bruised body, and into the drain. 

“No,” he says as he drops the knife and pushes it away. He feels the warm blood ooze from the shallow cut before being whisked into the drain. “I won’t give him satisfaction.” 

On still shaking legs, John manages to stand. He turns off the shower, towels off, bandages his arm, leaves the bathroom light on, and then heads into the bedroom. He grabs excess salt sticks and shoves them into every drain and doesn’t care if the ward is all he needs. After every ward in the room is activated John sets the knife on the side table and grabs the comforter.

John throws it around himself and jumps when he feels something hard hit his hip and thigh. 

Whipping the blanket off, he looks inside the devil’s trap. Along the outermost edge he see’s something that looks like it’s struggling to get out of the circle. He tilts the blanket towards the bathroom. The light lets him see two splintered pieces of bone glinting dully.

“What the fuck?” he whispers as the two pieces strain on the blanket. They make the cloth bunch a little as they try to get away. John looks at the wards around the room then back down at the blanket.

“It’s stuck,” he mutters dumbly. The second it processes as to why they are stuck,  
John drops the blanket.

“Fuck this,” John says as he turns away from the blanket. He goes to his bag and grabs a blanket with the devil’s trap stitched into it. Wrapping himself in it, he goes to the arm chair in the corner of the room, pulls as much of himself into it as he can, and stares at the duvet on the floor while thoughts chase each other through his head.

 _’Was that the snapping sound?'_ he asks himself. _’Why would…'_ he shakes his head and hunkers down in the chair. Tears spring to his eyes and John does his best to suppress the sobs that push against his hickey covered throat. He shifts and feels the ghost of something inside him.

John cries himself to sleep as the world outside begins to grow grey.

He doesn’t dream.


	4. Baring Scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY for being absent the last two weeks. At work we have been working late due to delays earlier in the year and are fighting to catch up. Along with that I got an inner ear infection that had me knocked out for about a week with Vertigo. If you've never had that pray you never do. It's like constant motion sickness and falling over a lot. Between that and the sometimes 12 hours work days I just haven't been able to work on the last edits for the chapters. Again, I apologize, though I am hoping that I'll be good from now on with the chapters. I will be traveling every weekend for the rest of May though, and have commissions to catch up on after the past two weeks, so if something is a little late I am very sorry!

“How are the wards coming?” Jade calls as John drags a stick through rocky earth. He’s drawn multiple wards around their campsite every night for almost a week now. They will protect them against most woodland spirits, ghosts, and their mark; a wendigo. So far, the two have had no luck whatsoever finding it, though Grandpa Jake insists it is up here. Jade has told him that she feels like they’re getting close... maybe. From the reports on the ranger’s radio frequency, Jade’s sure they are at least in the right area.

“Same as last night,” John calls as he finishes the next one off. He’s drawn these things so many times over so many years he could draw them in his sleep.

Out in the woods, the evening birds whistle as the sun goes down. Without sunlight the Canadian woods get cold fast, especially up in the mountains. John shivers a little, though it isn’t from cold. Living in Washington as a child gave him a thick skin, but the gentle brush of the wind on his bare arms is anything but pleasant. His skin prickles with goose flesh and he looks at the finished sigils. He has a few left to go and again he debates on making a demon ward. Would Jade notice? 

The wind blows past him with a dying warmth and John shudders again. He gets up and heads towards their shared tent. 

“You done?” Jade asks him as he walks past her and her pile of wood. She lifts her hand with its colored rubber bands. She goes to unwind the black one and set it around her wrist next to the green one that means firewood. The red, pink, and yellow still grace her fingers. Bec lays next to her, his head on his paws, and watches John with his large eyes as he passes.

“Almost, just want a jacket,” he tells her as he reaches inside.

“Mr. Washington is cold? Is the world ending?” Jade jokes as she drops her hands and goes back to striking her flint and steel. The sound echoes through the woods and makes John’s teeth tingle.

“Har har.” John reaches into his bag and starts searching for one of his button up flannels. It’s not heavy, but it will at least cover his arms and the fine scars on his neck. He had looked up a way to help get rid of hickeys quick before he had met up with jade. Digging the handle of a knife into his neck hadn’t felt all that great but it had done it’s job and left him with the barest of splotches when he showed up. 

“You okay with hot dogs tonight?” Jade calls as he pulls the button up on. There is a whimper from the side of the tent. “Not you, Bec.”

John can barely hear her hushing the dog as he steps back out of the tent. “When have I ever not been okay with hot dogs?”

“Did you forget when you were nineteen and you threw two packs into the river before Grandpa could stop you?”

“We had been eating them for over a month straight, Jade.” John gives a chuckle as he stands with his hands in his jean pockets. “And you were right there with me throwing.”

“I was trying to stop you.” Jade gives a toothy grin; her buck teeth protruding over her bottom lip. 

“Liar,” John snickers. He feels his teeth mimic the smile back at her. Like Jade, he got his bucked teeth from Nana, a residual trait their father’s didn’t get. It’s almost the only trait they share, seeing how Jade had gotten most of her looks from her mother. Her skin holds the much darker olive tone from her mother and Grandpa Jake, her bright green eyes, and her long, wavy hair. John can’t remember the last time he’s seen her wear it down. Jade had started pinning and tying it up right after they had started hunting. It sits as a thick bun atop her head as she works at getting their fire pit set up. Strands fly away around her face and John’s sure he sees a few leaves tucked in among the waves.

“We could always break out the baking from Nanna,” Jade sing songs as she goes back to trying to start the fire.

“And break tradition of the post-hunt pigout? You’re crazy.”

“Hey, you haven’t tasted this new recipe. I don’t know how ginger molasses cookies work, but they really do.” She sits back and gets a small, dreamy look on her face. “I swear, if I stayed there for more than a week I would get so fat.”

“I don’t think your metabolism would let that happen.”

“It would if I ate a cake a day. Oh! Or Nanna's pumpkin pie. Oooooh my god.” She gives herself a hug and grins at the thought.

John doesn’t respond as he feels his stomach drop a little. He hasn’t eaten cake since...well…

“You okay?” Jade asks. John barely stops himself from jumping.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he answers automatically. Anxiety curls in his belly at the words. She’s asked him that over and over since they had met up in the town at the base of the mountain, but so far he’s been able to get away with the insomnia story. Not that it’s much of a story; even Nanna's herbs have barely been making a dent in his exhaustion. Even if his slumber is dreamless, it isn’t sound, and it doesn’t last long before he jolts awake.

“John,” Jade sighs, and most of her humor goes with it. She looks like she wants to ask him something, but she doesn’t get to continue. An ember has caught her kindling and she quickly goes to breathe life into it. 

John ducks back into the tent and ruffles around in his bag. The sight of a small cloth bundle makes his heart jump. The day he had left the hotel he had torn the duvet just enough to get the bone out, and then had quickly transferred it to a hand towel he had painted a devil’s trap on. When he did, he had pushed the broken ends together and was startled when they mended into one. As soon as they had, John had felt the slightest of tugs and immediately dropped the towel. John’s heart had hammered as he watched the bone move lazily to the outer ring. On the tile floor, it had even managed to slide the cloth a few milimeters before John had snached it up.

Checking over his shoulder, he finds Jade busy with the fire. Reaching into the bag he unrolls the cloth. The bone is smooth and white and generates the barest amount of warmth. It’s unsettling to feel it produce its own heat, but it is a demon bone after all; John wasn’t expecting it to be normal. 

He lays it out on the tent floor and watches it intently. The bone stays generally still, though it does attempt a twitch south. John can only guess at it’s meaning but it at least makes him feel a bit better. It’s not heading for the edge anymore which can only mean that Dave is still a long way off.

“What’cha got there?” The words barely preface the arms that go to wrap around his neck. Anxiety zips through him and John lashes out with one arm as he jolts forwards.

“Whoa, hey!” Jade exclaims as she jumps back and just misses getting elbowed in the throat. “The hell John?” Bewilderment and concern cover her features as John sits on the floor of the tent.

“Sorry, sorry.” His words come out between frightened gasps. “You startled me.”

“Startled you? John, you’re-” She reaches for him and John can’t help the flinch. “John you’re terrified! What's going on? You’re acting like…” She pauses and her face falls. “John, you didn’t go after a nest on your own did you?” The words are almost whispered.

The question catches John so off guard that he finds his brain reeling to connect an emotion to it. The first one that comes is anger and he latches onto the little spark of rage.

“Of course I didn’t go after a nest,” he snaps. “Do you really think I’d be that stupid?”

Jade’s eyes go wide behind her round frames before they pointedly slit into a glare. “I don’t know, _John_ , you tell me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” John gets up clumsily and he grabs the bone as he goes. 

“Oh you know what I mean. You’re acting like you did after the nest in Michigan.” Jade starts to tick things off on her fingers. “The sleeplessness, the jumpiness, not being able to stand being touched, barely eating, and you’re acting cold all the time. It’s been almost a week out here and you’ve barely even talked to me, John. Usually you can’t stay quiet about your hunts, and now it’s like you don’t even want to remember them.”

John finds himself unable to look at her. Damn it, he thought he had been doing a good job keeping up appearances. 

“That and the fact that you have a whole new set of scars you refuse to tell me about.” Jade gestures to his chest.

“How did you-”

“We change in the same tent,” Jade deadpans. “You thought I wouldn’t notice? I know you saw the new one on my shoulder. It was from the ghoul in Maine by the way.” 

John feels his face heat. It’s not out of embarrassment, that went out the window a long time ago. John and Jade have seen each other in all forms of undress. When hunting, Jake had taught them that you never leave your partner alone, even for a piss break or to bathe. Seeing Jade nude is as natural to John as seeing himself in a mirror. He’s sewn up enough of the wounds on her to know what is new and what is old.

“Well?” she asks as John looks away from her, trying to hide the shame coloring his cheeks. “Are you going to tell me about those?” Jade asks, arms tight over her belly and cradling her breasts. “Because if you ask me, they look like they came from something _stupid_.”

John’s teeth clench as his hand goes tight around the bone. “Leave it alone, Jade,” John grumbles as he tries to walk around her.

“Come on, John.” Jade blocks his path. “It’s just you and me out here. If you freeze for any reason we’re screwed. So you can either talk to me or we start packing, because I will not keep hunting with you like this. I can’t help you deal with what’s going on if you don’t tell me anything."

John ignores the hurt in Jade’s voice. “I am not going to freeze, Jade.” John’s hand aches as it tightens around the bone.

“You said that back then too, John, and you did. The second you went toe to toe with one of those vamps you froze.”

“I was fifteen,” John snarls.

“And I was twelve when they attacked the cabin.” Jade steps closer to him. “Grandpa had been training us for years by then, so your age isn’t an excuse. You froze because you never told us what that night did to you. Not Nanna, not Grandpa, not me, and we almost died because of it. Now you can either tell me what the heck happened so I can help keep us alive, or-”

“It’s not your job to keep me alive, Jade.” John’s words are harsh and sharp.

Jade’s face goes stony. “Yes it is. Mom and Dad-”

“Our parents are dead,” John bites out. “There are no more promises to them, and even if there were why should we even care? This isn’t what they would have wanted for us anyways!”

“What, you think they’d rather us have died with them?” Jade snaps.

“Well I would have fucking prefered it to the shit I’ve seen!”

The words bounce off the trees, and John immediately regrets them as he watches Jade’s posture deflate. John feels his shoulders drop.

“Jade…” His voice is soft as he rubs a hand through his hair. “I didn’t... I mean I don’t really...”

“Yes, you do,” she says softly. “And you’re not the only one.” She reaches up and scratches under her bun. “We wouldn’t be doing this if we didn’t have some sort of a death wish.”

They stand in the clearing and listen to the wind rustle the trees. Jade reaches out a hand and John flinches. Her hand hovers in the air before she sighs and lets it drop.

John kicks at a stray stone and lets his hand relax around the bone. Jade stands in front of him, hovering like fog over a lake, and waits. 

“I’ll go finish the sigils,” he tells her as he turns away. “Need to get those done quick.”

“Why’s that?” She tugs at the black rubber band on her ring finger.

John feels sick as he speaks. “Because we’ve got a lot of catching up to do and I’d rather not tell you all of it in the dark.”

\-----

“Come on, I know you want to,” Dave pants as he jerks his hips upwards. The walls around him are tight and the breathing of the person under him is airy. Their hands grip at him, the fingers large and powerful, and they dig into his skin.

“Dave,” the young man says. His voice sings, but it’s off pitch. It’s not the voice Dave wants to hear. He shuts his eyes and goes harder, trying not to lose focus. 

“D-Dave? Is everything alright?” The guys voice is thick with need, and while that would usually spur Dave on, it makes his hips barely twitch. 

“I’m fine, John,” Dave grumbles as he shifts his hips.

“Chris.” 

Dave pauses. “What?”

“My name is Chris, you prick.” 

God damn it not again.

“Fuck.” Dave pulls out and flops onto his side. There’s no way he’s making it to orgasm tonight, doubt he could even get this Chris guy to. Hell, he probably couldn’t even fake it if he did.

“Come on, man. I was just getting close,” Chris whines as he turns onto his side.

“Says the jackoff who a few minutes ago kept claiming he wasn’t gay,” Dave huffs. Dave look over his shoulder at the guy, and grits his teeth. Dark hair, blue eyes, great build...fuck.

“I’m not.” Chris tugs at one of the sheets on the bed. Already they are starting to go hazy as Dave starts to lose control of the dream. 

“That’s not what they say.” Dave points over his shoulder at a group of men that have appeared at the side of the bed. All of them are glaring, snarling, and Dave knows that this is one of Chris’s biggest fears.

“D-d-dad,” he stammers as Dave gets up and breathes in the fear that comes from him. It isn’t nearly as filling without the hard switch from pleasure, but it’ll do. 

“So you really are a fucking-” 

Dave leaves before the slurs start going. He doesn’t care to listen to what James’ fears are slinging at him; he just wants a damn meal. It’s been almost a week since he had his last good one, and that had been mostly due to Bro. Dave’s brother had enjoyed their little romp with John so much he had gotten Dave into two more three ways before disappearing and heading back south. Since then, he’s tried everything he knows to get through a fling. He’s gone hard and fast; sweet and slow; built things up; and sucked, fucked, fingered, and fondled multiple people the last few nights with very little to show for it. Without someone making him focus he can’t keep his mind straight. There are too many distractions running around in his head.

Dave stares down at Chris while he floats cross legged above him. Sitting hunched over feels odd with his top left rib missing. While Dave rests his chin in one hand, the other hand absently presses at the hollow place inside him. Unlike losing a little skin or hair to a trap, losing a full rib is quite annoying. At least it doesn’t burn anymore. Shortly after he had left it had hurt like a bitch, and trying to pretend there was nothing wrong while sitting in a diner the next morning had been a fucking pain in the ass. Harder still was the conversation that had come with it.

“You had a fucked up fascination with that kid,” Bro had told him. They had both sat in the 24 hour dinner looking as normal as could be. It was rare for the two of them to do anything resembling human interaction, not since hell, but Dave and Bro did sometimes enjoy feeding their odd coffee addiction. The shittier the better.

“It’s not like you haven’t fucked the same mark more than once,” Dave had grumbled back. It had been hard to be nonchalant as he sat in the early morning sun and felt the hole in his chest burning hot. It was painful as all hell, but Dave was okay with pain, even if this one did make him shudder now and again. 

“True,” Bro replied as he took another drink. “But I never needed any help taking them out.” The amber of his irises had peeked over the edges of the weirdly pointed shades he had taken to wearing while in public. He had told Dave once he had stabbed a hunter with them. Dave had always wanted to call bullshit at that, but knowing Bro, he probably had. 

Dave’s stomach had dropped a bit. He should have never told him that he had gone and fucked John multiple times, nor should he have brought up the fact that he had been having fun fucking with his head. He should have just killed him or kept him a secret.

“You said you wanted in on killing him,” Dave had replied and took another drink of his coffee. “I had just been getting more intel on the bastard while waiting on you.” That at least hadn’t been a lie. Dave had learned a lot about John in those two weeks of dreaming. Like how his parents had been killed off by some rogue vamps, and how his grandmother and great uncle or something had dragged him and his cousin into the hunting life afterwards. Dave had also learned he was allergic to peanuts and loved having his taint played with while getting sucked off.

“Yeah, but waiting for almost a month to do it? Made me wonder if that kid had made you soft.” Bro had smirked meanly and Dave had frowned. “Sure as hell proved me wrong when you broke that fuckers neck like that.” Bro gave a laugh. “It looked like he was going to kiss you on his own.” 

It had been a bit hard to do, but Dave had smirked back at him. That split second decision had been hard, really hard, and it shouldn’t have been. John should be dead. 

“Told you it was poetic,” Dave chuckled. 

Bro had snorted and shaken his head. “Yeah, whatever. Next time one of us finds a hunter to play with I want to eat the fucker’s heart.”

Dave’s stomach had suddenly clenched, his rib having jerked hard towards him before burning again. “Get them to like you first,” he had told Bro while trying to cover up his discomfort. “Bet it would taste even better.”

Bro had gone to blow off some steam after, invited Dave along, but Dave had told him he wanted a quick romp on his own before he had to share Bro again. In truth, his rib had been aching horribly, and he knew he needed to get the pieces back.

“Fuck.” It was all he could say when he had found the place warded so tight not even the Devil himself could have entered. So Dave had waited for John to leave. It had taken hours, and when John had finally walked out, Dave had felt himself freeze. He looked horrible, gaunt, and even with the healing Dave had done he had a limp. The wards dropped away and Dave had felt the flaring heat disappear. Then John had packed up the car, paid the clerk, and driven quickly away from the motel. 

Dave had expected John to throw the rib away when he had left, but instead, he felt it go with him. 

“Why the fuck keep it?” Dave mutters as he contemplates all the reason he’s been able to come up with. There aren’t many. John’s been holding onto the damn thing for over a week now, almost two, and for no reason that Dave can understand. If he was going to summon Dave and kill him he would have done it already. Summoning demons should be a cinch for a hunter like him.

Chris shudders before going still and Dave realizes the nightmare has resolved itself. He doesn’t care enough to rekindle the dying embers of fear and instead goes misty. It’s a bit harder than usual with how low his energy has been. Being unable to get a decent meal out here in the human world is really starting to fuck with him, and if he’s not careful, he’s going to get trapped in the in-between with hell as the only exit.

When he goes to push through the window screen, Dave feels parts of him catch a bit. Shit.

Dave hangs in the air outside for a moment and feels the way his molecules clump and shift. The meager meal Chris provided will keep him going for a little while, but not long. He notes a constant hole in his molecule cloud, his rib, and feels a tug. Dave’s never left something this large behind before, and even this far away, he can feel it wanting him to come back for it. 

It’s to the north, nestled somewhere warm, and the pieces have fused back together. Dave wants to know why. He can feel John’s fingers on it, the warmth of them, and it is unsettling how intimate they feel. The sane thing would be to destroy it. Did Dave really fuck his head up that bad?

The image of John using it to literally ‘bone’ himself flashes through his mind, and Dave’s particles tremble in the air. Dave doubts highly that is even close to what is happening. After the shit he and Bro had pulled, he doubts John is ever going to let anyone go near his nether regions again. Doubts he even touches himself.

The air outside is humid, weighing Dave down a little as he sluggishly begins to float away from the house; the absence of screaming annoying him as he goes. He used to be able to wake up the neighborhood with the nightmares he would instill.

The warmth around his rib suddenly intensifies for a moment, and Dave almost solidify above the street. Static like pain traces through his loose particles and then quickly recedes. Dave sit in the air motionless. What the fuck was that? Was John washing it? Was he near a fire? The second thought makes Dave’s currently nonexistent stomach plummet. 

Fuck...fuck fuck fuck. What was that old rumor? That if a demons bones were burned then they were gone forever? It was only one bone, but if John burned it, then...

“Shit,” Dave thinks to himself as the wind gently pushes him on a current. “I need to get that rib back.” 

A thrill runs through him, and he’s not sure if it’s because of another wave of heat that ends as quickly as it comes, or because he’s going to see John again. Either way, Dave starts to push North, a warm wind helping to propel him forward.

\----

John sits quietly in his chair while Jade looks at him. He can’t tell what her eyes are doing behind her glasses; not with how the fire reflects in them. Jade’s mouth is a thin line and her body looks like it’s about to snap.

She had stayed quiet for the whole story, start to finish, letting John get it out. A few times she had almost reached out to touch him, especially when he hadn’t been able to hold back a few sobs and tears, but she had kept it to herself. John is thankful to her for that. He’s not sure he could have gotten through it if she had held him like he knows she wants to. He had left out the worst details, skimmed over the sex, and didn’t tell her about Dave’s soul inside him. He couldn’t bring himself to talk about that. Heck, he’s not even sure if he wants to talk about the bone. Instead he just holds it in his hands and feels the rough texture of the hand towel under his fingers.

“You can say something now,” John murmurs as he sits in front of the fire.

“I’ll kill them.” Her voice is thick when she says it. “I’ll fucking kill them for you, John.” Jade gets up and John sees her wipe at something under her eyes. She picks up a stick and heads to the side of the campsite. John sees her start a devil’s trap.

“Jade,” John says as he gets up, fear in his voice. 

“What were their names? Dave and Bro?” Her hand is shaking and her voice is much too even.

“Jade, no, please,” John begs. He grabs her and turns her about. “If they show up I _know_ I will freeze up. You can’t-”

“They _raped_ you John.” Her voice is raspy as she stares up at him. “I’ll kill them for that. _We’ll_ kill them.” He can feel her body trembling. “Then you won’t have to worry anymore.”

“Jade...” John lets the sentence die before he pulls her in tight. “I’ll be alright.”

“No you won’t,” she says against his chest. “You, we, haven’t been right since the cabin.” Her arms wrap around him, and John hunches forwards so he can rest his head on Jade’s shoulder. The closeness is a burning balm to John. It’s familiar and grounding but tainted as well. He refuses to let go though, even when a few of his tears manage to escape his eyes and drip into Jade’s tangled bun.

“We should make some traps,” she says finally before she lets go. “All over. All linked. That way we-”

“I don’t think we’ll need that many,” John replies as he holds the rib in his hand.

Jade gives him a startled look. “Okay? John, I’m sorry, but you must still be in shock to say something like that.”

“I’m not saying we shouldn’t make them I’m just...I mean I just don’t think...” John sighs, holds out the towel, and lets it fall open. The rib slides down to hang against the edge of the circle. “If this isn’t moving then they aren’t around, so we’re okay. You don’t need to-”

“What is that?” Jade’s voice cuts through his sentence.

John’s body tightens. Maybe he should have prefaced this with an explanation. Oh well. “A rib.”

“Who’s rib is it, John?” There is a dark edge to her words. He’s only heard it a handful of times before, and he’s not sure if it makes him happy or scared shitless to know that what he’s gone through brings it out in her.

“D-Dave’s,” he whispers. 

“Burn it.”

“What?” He doesn’t get to say much more as Jade suddenly grabs at the cloth, rips it from his hand, and sprints towards the fire.

“Jade, Jade no!” John shoots after her and gets to the edge of the fire just as it goes in. His hand darts into the flames and yanks the towel out. Flames lick at the cloth and he quickly tries to pat them out. Part of the circle burns and the bone falls to the ground. He snatches it up quickly.

“Damn it, Jade!” He shouts. “It lets me know if he’s close, I can-”

“It could lead him right to you.” Her voice is a harsh hiss that makes every hair on John’s body stand up. The woman is 150 pounds of pure muscle, and she could probably snap his neck with her thighs. Hell, he’s pretty sure that’s how she killed that ghoul back in San Pablo. If she really wanted, he knows she could get the rib from him.

“You don’t know that,” John whispers. 

“And you don’t know that it can warn you about him.” She goes to snatch for it again, but John quickly yanks it up and away. She might be able to kick his ass but he’s still taller.

“John, I swear to god, if you don’t do it I will.” Jade is glaring at him and it makes John want to shrink a little. 

Next to her feet, Bec growls a little as John holds the rib bone tight in his hands.

“B-but what if I can use it against him if he comes back?” John tries. “Like, I don’t know, make a trade or something?” He didn’t know her stare could get scarier. Even after he had froze in the vamps nest and she was cursing mad Jade hadn't looked at him like this.

“John.” Jade talks through her teeth as she looks up at him.“Dave raped you with his brother and left you for dead in a hotel room. If you see him again you aren’t going to ‘trade’ with him. You’re going to cut off his dick, feed it to him, and then slice off his head and exorcise the fucker back to hell. Got it?” The warning in the words is weighty in John’s ears. 

John swallows and feels his throat click. God, just the tone of her voice saying those words has his balls tightening closer to his body. 

“But first you’re going to throw that piece of shit in the fire and get rid of it.” She points down at the flames. 

John doesn’t move.

“John.” It’s a warning.

“He didn’t kill me, Jade.” John says as he grips the bone tighter. “He fucking faked it, and I want to know why.” 

Jade snaps and makes a sudden dive for the bone that surprises him. Jade manages to get a hand on it, tug it from John, and get it over the fire before John is able to snag it back from her. 

“Damn it John,” she snarls. “He did it to fuck with you! He probably wanted you to keep the bone so that he could track you!” She goes back to trying to pry it from him, standing on her toes as Bec barks at the two of them.

“Jade,” John grits out as he wrestles with her, careful of her feet as they threaten to kick out his legs. 

“Jade!” John shoves her, and it takes her by surprise as she stumbles back. “I know it’s dumb to keep it, alright!” 

She stares at John in surprise for a moment before she returns to glaring. “Then why the fuck are you keeping it?” 

“Because…” John pauses and looks down at it. “Because…” Why is he keeping it? “I feel...safer.” It sounds stupid, even to him, but Jade doesn’t make another grab for it. Instead, she stands and listens.

John pushes up his glasses to rub at his eyes. “I know he can track me with it, but I can also kind of track him. I have something that might be able to hurt him and let me get away if he shows back up. I’m not dumb enough to take it to Grandpa’s or Nanna's, but when I’m out here I want it nearby.”

“A demon ward would work just as well,” Jade tells him. 

“Demon wards can also be broken.” He holds the rib up. “This thing can’t lie to me.”

The rib is suddenly out of John’s hands again and heading for the fire. John almost misses it as Jade drops it over the flames, but manages to catch it before it goes in.

“God damn it, Jade, I will get rid of it when I damn well feel like it! But for now just leave it the fuck alone.” The anger in his words reverberates through the trees; a few birds take wing in the darkness. 

Jade stares at John, her glare still intense behind her glasses, but she doesn’t move to take the bone again.

John drops his shoulders. “Please.” He can’t fight with her about this. The bone, whatever it is to him, he isn’t lying when he says he wants it around. It’s a horrible reminder to him but he’ll take it if it means he’ll have an early warning system. “Just, let me hold onto it a bit longer.” 

Jade’s body seems to relax a fraction. Her hands drop to her side and Bec pushes his head up into one of her palms.

“Fine.” The defeat is heavy in her voice. She takes a couple steps forwards, and while John semi expects another grab, she instead gives him a hug. “If it makes you feel better, then keep it.” 

John tenses under her hands, but after a moment, he returns the hug. It starts gentle but it isn’t long before the two of them are hugging each other tight. Jade lets go first and John pretends not to see the tears she wipes away.

“But if that thing gets you killed, I am summoning your ghost and shoving a hot poker through your head before salting and burning your bones.” John can’t tell how much of the statement is a joke and how much is a real threat. “Now go get some sleep,” she tells him as she goes towards her chair, Bec following.

“No, you,” John says as he follows. “After that...we’ll I’m not going to sleep for a while.” 

“You sure?” she asks, and there is a tinge of worry to her voice.

“Yeah.” He gives her a one armed hug. “I’ll wake you up at midnight to swap watch.” 

“Okay,” Jade says as she gives him one last squeeze. She doesn’t look up at him as she turns and heads towards the tent. Bec trots after her, slipping inside before she zips the flap up.

John lets out a heavy sigh before he sits down; the fabric of the chair molding to his backside. He spins the bone slowly between his fingers as the sounds of the forest settles around him. Inside Jade’s tent John can hear her shifting around and getting ready to sleep for a few hours. It takes a little while, but soon crickets start chirping again in the dark; the lack of yelling telling them the coast is clear.

“Where are you now?” John mutters as he holds the bone. Part of him wants to feel it tug to let him know what direction the demon is in while the rest wants it to stay as still as possible. 

The edges have some soot on them and he rubs at it. 

_’You’re burnt. It’s like shoving my hands in a fire pit.’_

John shudders at the memory of Dave’s soul rubbing against his. It had felt so brittle; like parched wood and burnt twigs. He had felt his soul trying to push into Dave; trying to get it out; trying to fix it.

_’It’s all rough, and grainy, and…’What’s-’_

John grips the bone tight as he tries to figure out what he had found. It had been there for just a moment, the barest twinge. Something smoother than the rest.

 _'Don’t move.'_ Why had Dave told him that? _'Don’t move.'_

“Why?” John feels moisture on his cheeks while he looks down at the bone. The fire crackles next to him. Slowly, John extends his hand over it. 

John’s not sure how long he stays like that, his stomach feeling sick as his eyes stay moist. Somewhere in the dark an owl hoots. John lowers his arm. Suddenly, everything about him feels heavy. All John wants to do is go wrap himself in his sleeping bag, take a swing of tea from the water bottle in the tent, and let oblivion wrap around him. 

“Fuck,” he murmurs, and he refuses to acknowledge how froggy his voice sounds. Jade’s asleep, there is a wendigo out there, and possibly a demon. John fights his exhaustion and fiddles with the bone as he listens to the fire. Every now and then he gets up and walks around to stay awake. 

Someone has to keep watch.


	5. Burning Scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A large thank you to all my wonderful Betas who have been helping me with this stuff. So happy to be on track again. I even have this up first thin on Wednesday! Super happy about that. :) Anyways, enjoy Jade in this chapter. I love writing her.

Dave heads North all night and most of the next morning. The trek is exhausting and more than once he finds his molecules either trying to solidify or float away without his express permission. 

“Fuck,” he grumbles as the sun starts to make its way to its zenith. “I need a snack.” Seeing as it’s almost noon makes that harder said than found. It takes Dave another good hour before he runs into a small motel where he can feel someone sleeping. Luckily for him it feels like it’s already in REM. 

Dave slips through the cracks in the small town motel easily to find a single young man lying on a bed wrapped in blankets. Despite it being almost noon, the guy is out cold and Dave doubts he’ll even have to put much effort into keeping him down.

“Didn’t even have time to get your socks off,” he murmurs as he looks at one white clad foot pushing out from between the sheets. On the floor next to the bed is a duffle bag that’s only halfway unzipped. Someone was tired.

“Well, hopefully you’ll be a quick fuck,” he grumbles as he floats up and over the body. Dave can feel his mind twitching and reaches for it. 

Dave can’t be happier with where he ends up. The guy is dreaming about being in a bar. Literally a bar, though more of a caricature of a bar, like he’s never been in one. Dave’s body takes on clothing akin to that of the rest of the shallowly detailed patrons. Tight jeans, tight shirt, jacket just to keep with the trend. It doesn’t take him long to find the guy who the dream belongs to. He’s sitting at the bar chatting up some girl with outlandish proportions and a face that doesn’t seem to keep one particular look for more than a few seconds; even her hair seems to be gradually shifting color as she laughs at everything the guy is saying.

Dave sends her away with a thought, having her tell the guy she just needs to run to the bathroom to ‘freshen up’. Yeah, like that mishmash of a brain creation is going to be coming back.

“Fucking finally,” Dave says as he sits heavily on the bar stool next to the dreamer. “Here I thought I was never going to get a word in edgewise.” From here he can get a better look at the guy, and at least he doesn’t have to worry about finding him attractive. He’s not as built as John, but still has a decent amount of muscle and not a half bad face. He’s also got some crazy colored eyes going on under his auburn hair, though Dave can’t tell if that’s how he likes to think of himself or if he’s really sporting violet irises. He doesn’t plan on waiting around after their romp to find out.

“That so Chief?” He takes a sip of something and gives him a grin. “What is it you want to say?”

“That I’ve got a room in the motel next door and I’d love to have you for a bed-warmer,” Dave replies. He can feel the human’s sudden jolt of need go through him as soon as the words are out of his mouth. 

“Lead the way.” He puts his glass down. No exchange of names, no restraints, and Dave feels a sense of relief. This one is going to be easy.

“Looking for a third?”

All sense of calm shoots out of Dave. In the real world he almost loses his grip on the dream. Raising his head, he turns to the bartender that only minutes before had been a shell of a human. Now Dave finds amber eyes looking down at him and a most familiar grin.

“I’d hate to have this guy snatch you up before I can get a taste.” The words are directed at the human but Bro’s eyes are locked on Dave.

Dave can feel the guy next to him just about pop at the inquiry of a threesome.

 _’The hell are you doing here?’_ Dave growls. Being in the same dream means no need for verbal communication, though he’s not fucking happy that he can talk through a mental link right now.

 _’Like you don’t know.’_ Bro gives a smirk as he walks around the side of the bar. Already the dream is depopulating as sideline images of people flicker out of being. Their new prey is focusing in on them, and while that would usually be a blessing, right now it just makes it harder for Dave. If Dave wants to eat he’s going to have to keep up the charade Bro is spinning. Fuck.

“Though I don’t see why we have to go anywhere,” Bro says to the dreamer as he saunters towards the bar doors. “Got plenty of flat surfaces ‘round here, if ya know what I mean.” He spins around the sign to closed, locks the doors, and Dave seethes as the last of the dream people flash away.

_’First moves yours, lil'man.’_

_’How the fuck did you find me so quick?’_ Dave does his best to keep the anger off his face as he turns back to his mark. The guy is halfway undressed. Dave doubts he’s even realized his mind is schlepping off his clothing as he sits fully erect on the bar stool.

Dave gets up and doesn’t even have to say anything before the guy pulls him in for a kiss. An eager mouth alights on his and makes quick work of getting a tongue between Dave’s lips.

 _’When have I not been able to find you?’_ Bro asks him as he circles around the two of them. Already the bar is more of an afterthought as Dave pulls the guy off his stool and starts walking him towards a pool table. _’You never were good at hiding.’_

“M’not hiding.”

“Huh?” The guy pulls back a bit from where he was worrying a hickey into Dave’s neck.

Dave thinks quick as all his clothing melts away. “Not hiding mine, so why aren’t you showing me yours?” 

“Yeah Darlin, can’t expect us to wait on you all night,” Bro adds as he moves up behind Dave. His mouth kisses along Dave’s neck. The smile on Dave’s face covers the way his jaw clenches. 

“One sec!” Outside the dream Dave’s meal thrashes to kick the blankets off, which he’s registering as clothing, until he stands nude in his dream and exposed in the real world. The movement gives Dave just enough time to step hard on Bro’s exposed instep. 

_’Fuck off, this ones mine.’_

_’Yeah, right, because you’ve been doing such a bang up job with all your other meals.’_ Bro wraps his arms tight around Dave. _’I’m not leaving until I see you pull more than just a sip out of this guy.’_

_’You’ve been following me!?’_

Bro licks a line up the back of Dave’s ear before biting around the shell. Dave feels his knees go weak for a moment as Bro holds him up.

 _’When have I ever stopped following you?’_ The words are a dark murmur that make Dave feel a good foot shorter.

Suddenly he smells pine. 

Blinking, Dave finds that the bar around them isn’t much of a bar anymore. Instead it looks more like trees smashed together in a semblance of one. Outside of glass-less window panes, deep set reds and oranges mingle in a dying sunset.

“Damn.” The one word pulls Dave’s attention back to the human in the room. “You two sure you want me here?” The guy is joking, the tonality tells Dave that, but there is also an edge of fear to it. Something in his brain is trying to tell him something but Dave’s not about to lose this one. He squashes that fear and prods at his lust. It does the trick.

“Two’s boring,” Dave says as he pulls from Bro and heads towards the now crude wooden table the guy is leaning against. “Three’s a party.” He wraps his arms around the human’s neck.

“And we are your favors,” Bro adds as he comes forwards to push up against Dave again. “So tell us what you want, Daddy.” 

Dave’s head whips halfway to the side before he gets control of himself. He can feel the guy harder than ever against him and curses Bro mentally.

 _’Fucking really?’_ Dave feels flames in his stomach and his already lagging erection threatens to fizzle out. Bro’s hand comes down to tug it roughly back to life as his teeth go back to Dave’s ear. The human follows suit with the other one and it takes only a few seconds before he’s hard again.

 _’Come on, lil’man. It’ll be just like old times.’_

Dave doesn’t get a chance to respond as their ‘Daddy’ pulls away with his first command. 

“Suck my dick.” The words are directed towards Dave.

Dave gives Bro a side eyed glare. “Of course, Daddy.” The word feels sickly on his tongue as he goes to his knees. Out in the real world he fishes the guy out of his boxers. He’s a decent size, relatively normal, and Dave finds it easy to swallow him all the way down.

“What do you want from me?” Dave shudders at Bro’s tone of voice and feels Daddy do the same.

“Fuck me,” the guy gasps as Dave’s mouth goes to work. The cock in Dave’s mouth is pushed deeper as Bro pushes the human forward and steps in behind him. With Bro unable to actually fill the guy physically in the real world there is no need for prep as he bends the human over Dave and pulls him onto his dick. Dave feels the section for muscle memory flare in the human’s head as Bro fills him up. Well good, that makes their job easier at least.

A warbling cry escapes the guy’s throat as Bro practically holds him up by the hips.

“You know, Daddy, my little brother loves it when you fuck his mouth.” Dave might not be able to see him, but he knows that Bro’s amber eyes are looking down at him. “He’s so good at it too.”

Dave doesn’t say anything as he focuses on the dick between his lips. The cock fills his mouth and throat as he grips at the back of the human’s knees instead of his hips. If he wasn’t laying down, then their Daddy would collapse from the pressure to the tendons; instead it just makes his dream body shake even more.

“Fuck his mouth hard for me Daddy,” Bro says as he starts to thrust in quick, jolting strokes. “He makes the best sounds when he chokes.” It gets the human’s hips rolling gently in his sleep. It doesn’t push too far down Dave’s throat, though there isn’t much further he can go. Dave’s got him down deep as Bro pushes into him, and while he knows what Bro wants to hear he refuses to give it to him. Instead Dave deep-throats him like a champ without a single gag.

“H-harder,” the human begs as his hands curl in Dave’s hair and his body jolts from both the real and remembered stimulation.

 _’He’s talking to me.’_ Bro’s voice is smug as Dave pushes the human deeper into his throat. Rage boils as Dave grips at his own dick. He doesn’t have to get off to this, not to feed, he just needs to get the human to, but like hell he’s going to let Bro beat him with that too.

 _’Well then. Maybe you should-’_ Dave pulls away from the cock in his mouth. “-give Daddy what he wants. Dirk.”

Bro’s movements stutter as Dave feels rage roll through his head. He pays no attention as he goes back to sucking cock and Bro goes as hard as he possibly can in this dream state, not that it’s very hard. The human’s hips barely buck up more than a half inch as Dave sucks him. 

_’You little-’_

_’Just like old times, right?’_ Dave cuts in as he gives a gentle tug to the human’s balls and is quickly swallowing down cum. Using the taste and Bro’s rage, Dave manages to cum as well, albeit weakly. It tugs through him like a sparse shiver before he stands and pulls the human away from Bro. 

“Dave,” Bro snarls as Dave tugs the shivering human further away. He’s happy to see his brother still hard as he shoves their meal down.

“Playtimes over, Daddy.” Dave’s words are laced with false sweetness as he sets the fear that had been trying to take over free. It spreads through the human's body and manifest itself as flames. The wood cabin around them catches in an instant and it takes Dave by surprise. His head snaps around as he watches the wood get swallowed. Behind him the human starts to shriek as the word ‘mine’ begins to bounce through his mind. Instinctively, Dave starts to feed despite the distraction of the flames that frame a thousand red eyes.

He doesn’t get to watch for long as something wraps around his neck. Dave’s fingers shoot up to grip at it; rough rope meets his fingertips and the floor seems to drop out from under him.

“Just like old times,” Bro says hoarsely. Dave’s eyes look over and he can see a noose around Bro’s neck as well; the end of his and Dave’s disappear up into the burning rafters that had been tree branches only moments ago.

He struggles with the noose around his neck as Bro reaches for him with one hand and grips at his own noose with the other. He gets a hand around Dave’s shoulder and pulls him forwards, his amber eyes blazing as he snarls. As he pulls, Bro’s thumb pushes in just below Dave’s collarbone. It sinks into the hollow of Dave’s missing rib. 

“Fuck off,” Dave wheezes as he jerks away from the hand and pulls at his rope. With a sharp push to the dream he ejects himself and forces the human beneath him to wake with a jolt. Bro’s presence snaps away immediately as he is returned to wherever he entered the space in-between from.

The human below Dave lets out another scream as he shoots forwards out of the bed, trips over the sheets, and into the wall. Broken sobs escape him as Dave hovers as mist in the room and drinks the fear up. It doesn’t matter how shaken he is, this is the meal he needs and he’s not going to waste it. Still, he only stays long enough to get his fill before he leaves the sobbing human in the hotel room. 

Even as he floats away on the wind, molecules spread out as wide as he can, he can still feel the rope around his neck. 

\----------

“John!” 

John whips his head around just in time to see something approaching him up the steep mountain hill at a speed too fast to track. The wood in his arms falls as his brain tries to decide on what he should reach for; the gun on his back or the hatchet on his hip. His hand goes for the hatchet right as Jade pulls the trigger of her gun.

The sound ricochets as the creature whips to the side in avoidance. A gust of wind passes and John finds himself very off balance.

“Jade!” The cry barely gets out before he pinwheels and falls. He flings the hatchet as he goes down, doing his best to keep himself from landing on it, and rolls over the dirt, rocks, branches, and low shrubs of the hill. One foot knocks against a tree and he lets out a shout as he tries to get himself out of the roll and more into a slide. It doesn’t work very well, and he ends up becoming a human Pachinko ball on his way down the hill.

“Fuck,” John groans when he finally gets down. He’s bleeding shallowly in several places, his foot feels swollen, and his head won’t stop spinning. Both ears ring as he gets himself upright and he can’t tell if it’s from his fall or from Jade’s gun. Around him the woods look fuzzy and for a moment he thinks he may have lost his glasses. To his surprise he finds them still on his face. Well that’s not good.

“John!” Jade calls from somewhere in the forest. 

“I’m over here!” He yells as he reaches onto his back for the shotgun. Giving it a once over he finds that it’s banged up but usable. At least he fucking hopes it is.

“Where!?” Her voice comes from a different part of the hill. John freezes. Shit.

“At the bottom of the hill!” John looks up through the trees and tries to find his cousin. Down here the sun isn’t getting through as well and he can’t tell what’s Jade and what’s shadows with his now blurred vision.

“I got hung up on a tree!” John’s voice comes from his right and up on the mountain.

Above him there is a cry of annoyance. “John where are you!?” The same sentence is mimicked now on John’s left.

John grips his gun tight as his eyes dodge around. With it throwing their voices around there is no way to tell who is who. He’s got to think of something quick.

“Reese's Pieces, rock candy!” John calls out and hopes that the jumbled words will confuse the wendigo and give Jade an idea as to where he is. Those are Jade’s favorite sweets after all.

“The hell, John!?” comes from one direction.

“Gushers, white fudge,” comes from the other. John limps towards the voice. “Speak,” follows and Bec’s bark kicks in behind it. John realizes that he has got to be going the right way. Now he just has to make it to them. Already John can see a flashlight coming down through the trees. He tries to go up through the forest towards her and finds himself struggling even more on the incline.

“Jade!” he calls out. Thirty yards, twenty yards. He can see Bec pick up speed as he tries to run down to him. That’s not good. Fuck, fuck, fuck. “Ja-” 

The Wendigo hits John’s back hard enough to make him tople. The talons that wrap around his waist are the only thing that keep him semi upright, though it doesn’t matter much. In a matter of seconds he’s off the ground and heading upwards.

“John!” Jade screams as the Wendigo jumps high into the air. John’s body jerks as the creature dodges between limbs and shoots up faster than anything John has ever experienced. The trees go by in a blur and it takes barely a couple of seconds before they are above the tree line. John’s stomach shoots down to his toes as he grabs at the things arms; he drops his gun to do so. Shit. 

For a moment he and the Wendigo seem to hover in the air at the highest point of its jump and John can see the forest stretching on for miles this high up. Thousands of trees with ruby painted tips as the sun threatens to disappear behind the mountains. Then they start to drop down towards the trees. 

“Ah, fuck.” It is impossible for John to get his head out of the way of the upcoming branches and he’s pretty damn sure that the wendigo knows what it is doing. The second John’s skull hits the wood the world is nothing but a blur, both from the loss of his glasses, and the concussion that is most definitely blooming beneath his skull.

The last thing he hears is Jade’s far away screaming before the Wendigo shoots into the trees and John’s mind goes blank.

\----

The forest around Dave is starting to go dark with the barest tendrils of sunlight still painting the treetops. They make the trees look like they are dipped in flames and he does his best to ignore memories that should long be dead. Fuck Bro and his stupid power plays. Why should it matter to him how Dave’s doing? He didn’t when they were locked down in the haze of heat and Dave’s screams were locked into his brother’s heartbeat. There was a time before that when Bro did care, when he was called Dirk and there was no one who had claim to him but Dave. That was a long fucking time ago.

Dave shakes his head as memories try to bloom. He doesn’t want them, any of them, and he’s sure that Bro left them just to torture him; just like how their Daddy did to Bro. 

“Come on John, where are you,” Dave mutters as he tries to focus on the task at hand. He doesn’t want to think about anything involving his brother right now; so much so he’d rather try and figure out why John still has his bone. He’s close, he knows it, mostly because Dave can feel the bone tugging and trying to come back to him from whatever warm confines it is in.

“John!” The voice comes muffled over the trees some ways off followed by a gunshot. Dave’s head snaps towards it. A second later pain flares in his chest as he feels his bone snap. That can’t be good. Dave goes towards more yelling and his bone. Off in the distance he sees something fly up out of the trees, feels a sharp tug as his bone heals itself, and then watches the figure drop back into the woods. It takes only a few seconds for his rib to suddenly feel much farther away.

Dave jerks to a halt. “What the fuck?”

“John!” The name is a screech that sends birds flying from a few trees. Dave heads straight for it. What the hell is going on? His bone is already a good couple of miles away. 

“Damn it, Bec, sniff him out.” Dave hears below him. The voice is feminine, and when Dave gets closer, he finds what has to be John’s cousin, Jade. 

“You really do look like a hard-ass,” Dave murmurs as he watches the young woman move. Dave has seen snippets of her in John’s dreams, his nightmares, and she looked about how she does now, only shorter.

“Fuck,” she bites out as the dog dashes away a few feet and then runs back in the opposite direction. It stops and picks something up before rushing back to her. 

“What is it,” she asks and goes to her knees. Dave sneaks in closer and watches the dog push its nose into her hand. He’s not even sure he should be calling this thing a dog. The pure white canine is huge, and when it opens its mouth, Dave can see its sharp teeth as it drops something. 

From the angle Dave’s at he can’t be sure what it is, but it sure as hell pisses her off.

“FUCK!” she shrieks and chucks it in Dave’s direction. He lets it pass through him before looking it over. It’s a pair of black framed glasses, square, cracked, and bloody. Dave’s solidifying fingers wrap around the frames the same time the girl behind him lets out a startled cry. The dog barks, and Dave barely has time to make his torso misty so the dog jumps through him instead of on him.

“Who the fuck are you,” Jade bites out with tears on her cheeks and fear radiating off of her. She has a shotgun pointed at Dave’s chest and a flashlight in his face. There are so many snarky comebacks for that. Right now, Dave’s nothing more than a naked guy standing in the middle of the forest and a dog just jumped through him like a lawn sprinkler. The obscure references are infinite.

“Are these John’s?” is what comes out instead.

The shotgun is pumped. “Who the _fuck_ are you?” Next to Dave the dog growls as it circles back to his owner.

Dave blinks at the gun through the flashlight. “That’s not going to do shit ya kn-” The gun goes off, and holy fuck does that hurt, even while misty. “Is that fucking salt!?” Dave yells as he glares at her, the red of his eyes flashing. 

“I have more than just salt you son of a bitch, so fuck off. I don’t have time to deal with you.” She glances down at the dog. “Bec, find.”

The dog hesitates with a growl at Dave before it goes back to where it found the glasses and begins to sniff.

“What happened to John,” Dave asks as he itches at his chest. Maybe clothes would help? They materialize, though they aren’t really there. At least it will make her feel better. 

“Why the fuck do you care?” she snaps back as her eyes keep following the dog. Apparently she couldn’t have cared less about Dave being nude.

Well the truth sure as fuck isn’t going to be something he wants to tell her so he instead goes for a half truth. “He’s got something of mine.” 

The gun goes off again and the salt still stings like a bitch. Dave touches his chest before he starts to whine, “What the he-”

“You stay away from him you sick son of a bitch,” Jade growls. “You will never touch him again.” 

_Aw shit,_ Dave thinks to himself.

The gun stays up as she takes a deep breath. “Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus-” Dave’s entire body jerks as his body twists.

“Wait!” Dave cuts in. Holy shit, does everyone in their fucking family have that memorized? “I can take you to John.” This is not what he needs right now. 

“What?” Jade lets the gun drop a little in surprise. 

“He’s got something of mine. I can track him with it,” Dave continues as the salt hisses slowly through his atoms as he stands partially misty.

He can’t see her face over the flashlight but Dave can feel her understanding. 

“The bone,” she murmurs.

“Yes, the bone,” Dave responds. Shit, just how much did John tell her?

She just stares at him, her green eyes barely appearing as she shifts the light a little. The dog comes back and whimpers with his ears down. Jade shifts at the sound.

“How far is he?” she asks without looking at Bec, but she keeps her eyes trained on Dave.

Dave shrugs. 

“Somewhere in that direction.” He points into the forest. Jade glares at him. 

“Hey, it’s not like an exact fucking science. The closer I get to my rib, the stronger the tug. It’s like a fucking flashlight beam.” He points to her own light. “Closer you get to the the source, stronger it gets. Speaking of which, you mind?” Dave lets his shades appear on his face as he tries to give her an easy smile.

Jade doesn’t budge. “Take me to him,” she demands.

“Or what? I’ll be out of earshot before you can finish your little poem,” Dave tell her.

“Or you get to deal with the wendigo by yourself.” 

Wendigo? God, Dave hasn’t heard that word in a while. 

“Those are the windy things, right?” he asks as he relaxes a little. It’s becoming more and more apparent she isn’t going to shoot him again. Without Dave she can’t find John, at least not in time. Dave also can’t leave her, because god damn it, she’s right. Wendigo’s are fast fuckers, and even though it would only take him a second to slip the bone in, he can’t be sure he can out maneuver a wendigo with how little energy he has. Not that it would kill him, but knitting his body back together doesn’t sound particularly enjoyable. Then again, Dave could always wait until morning. If he remembers right, wendigos don’t eat the same night they hunt. Not usually. They like the fear, like him.

Jade watches Dave intently and must see something on his face because she keeps talking. “You take me to John, we get him out, you shove that bone back in your chest, and then we all go on our merry way.”

“You trying to make a deal?” Dave asks with a grin. “Because if you are you know-” he is cut off by a harsh shudder that runs through him. He doesn’t like the sudden coolness that brushes over his rib or how the heat that part of it is pressed into is starting to drop. Something tells him that if he ever wants to see his boytoy again he’s got to go get him now. Shit, he really is going to need her.

“Fine,” Dave says as coolly as he can and straightens. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Truce.” It’s a statement not a question.

Dave sighs. “Yeah, sure, whatever. Mind lowering the gun?”

Jade pumps it instead. 

“Move.” There is a power behind the word that almost eclipses her fear. No wonder John sees her the way he does.

 _Glad I met John first,_ he thinks to himself as they start to walk out into the woods. _This bitch would have killed me the first night._

\-----

John wakes up to one hell of a headache. Did he do tequila again? Fucking hell, he hates tequila. Jade can drink it like it’s water but the second John gets it into his stomach he’s fucked. He shifts and the pounding fuzziness in his head becomes more apparent. 

Nope, not tequila, head injury. Distinct difference. Hangovers give him grogginess, headache, and general achiness. Head injuries give him the triple vision and the inability to tell which way is up and which way is down. It’s a miracle he’s even awake right now but John also knows he only has a few moments before he goes totally catatonic. He’s clearest when he wakes up from these things, after that...well he’s screwed.

“Jade?” John groans as he tries to look around the room. He’s missing his glasses apparently, or at least he hopes so, because if not then he really is fucked. There is nothing he can make out with the shadows and shades of grey and black. He also feels cold. Turning his head with a stiff difficulty he finds that his shirt is gone. All he can feel on his body are his pants and shoes.

“John.” Jade’s voice comes echoing from across the room, sounding like it is bouncing around under water. A shape moves. “Jo-” the sound is cut off and turns into a choked scream. 

Even with his brain fighting to put John back to sleep he thrashes. Something is keeping his arms above his head and John can feel the strain in his shoulders. The pain in his body wakes up with his movements and sends burning pins and needles up John’s arms. He’s been like this for at least an hour or more if they’re completely asleep.

“Jade,” John calls out again and tries to get his feet under him. If feels like trying to stand up in deep mud. That’s not going to work, not at all.

There is some sort of laugh, a horrible sickly one, and the shape that comes towards John in the dark isn’t Jade; it's too long and spindly. He can’t make it out much more than that with his brain and eyes no longer functioning together. He blinks and it takes him a moment to even realize that there is no way to open them back up. 

“Jade,” John gets out before the world dips black again.

\------

Dave can’t believe she’s keeping up. 

“Shit, are you part Wendigo?” Dave jokes as Jade sprints next to him. He’s cheating a bit, hovering over the ground instead of just running, but fuck that noise. If he wants to float he’s going to float. 

“Shut up and keep moving,” she snaps in reply. Damn, she barely sounds winded. She still definitely sounds pissed.

“What, just thought we could get to know each other a bit better,” Dave replies. “I mean, I’ve heard so much about you from John. Been wondering what you would be li-” Dave doesn’t have time to go misty. He’s too damn distracted to notice her switch in direction as she grabs him by the throat and pins Dave to a tree. The blade is already halfway to Dave’s heart before he can rearrange his molecules and get away.

“The fuck,” he gasps. His hand clutches at the wound. The thing must be tinged in holy oil because fuck does that sting, and it’s not stitching up like it should. “What happened to the truce!?”

“You bring up John one more time and I will slit that fucking throat of yours,” she snarls. Her stance is locked, her body ready for any move, and Dave tries really damn hard not to lick his lips. She’d be a freak in bed, he’s sure of it, but he’s not pushing his damn luck. If anyone were to see through his dreams in their sleep Dave’s damn sure it would be someone like her. Hell, she’d probably have figured out the pipe trick after the second visit.

“Kill me and then how’ll you find John?” Damn, his voice sounds tight. Did she nick a lung? 

“You’re bone wants back with your body. If it can’t get to you I bet you’d go straight to it,” she replies. “All of you needs to be together before you go back to hell, right.” 

Dave has no idea if that is how it actually works but fuck if it doesn’t kind of make sense. “Fine, fine, no more John talk,” he wheezes. “Can we go?” Dave can barely float now, his feet dragging along the ground as she starts to move. 

“Just waiting on you,” she replies with one hell of glare. God damn it. She could give a few demons he knows a run for their money in the scare factor.

While Dave’s chest stitches itself back together at a painfully slow speed, the two of them move. Before them the mountainside is raising up at a sharp angle. It slows them a little as they pick their way through trees that are precariously rooted into the rocky soil. Dave can feel the tug of his bone just past the stone. Shit, John is somewhere under all that rock, regolith, and tree roots. 

“Try and find an opening,” Dave tells her as his eyes scan around. Jade doesn’t question him. She looks at her dog.

“Bec, find.” The dog is a white streak in the dark as it rushes up the hill. It only ever stops to sniff as it dashes about. 

“You know if it wasn’t for this fucking hole in my chest I could have spread myself out and found an entrance,” Dave murmurs. He doesn’t mention that it could just be a hole somewhere just big enough for him to fit through. “It’s not like your dog’s going to be able to fi-” Dave’s interrupted by a single sharp bark.

Jade gives him a smirk before she takes off towards the sound. She doesn’t even pause to call to him when she disappears around a boulder.

“Really?” Dave sighs before going after her. A cave comes into sight as he rounds the bend and he can see her shadow disappearing down the tunnel. Her flashlight is off.

“Not so smart after all, are ya,” Dave murmurs. She’s going to get herself killed rushing in like that. He doubts she can even see right now. 

Dave follows at a leisurely pace, though when he comes around a corner in the tunnels he is not expecting the hand that grabs him.

“Wh-” The knife to his throat shuts him up quick. In the dark Dave can see her just fine and what he sees on her face is surprising. Goggles? Really? How are those even fitting over those glasses of hers? Where the hell did she even have them stored? That pack on her back doesn’t look big enough.

Jade turns away from him and looks down the hall and points; Dave’s eyes follow her finger. There is something moving and he can hear it groaning. 

“I’ve got this,” Dave murmurs to her. The knife moves on his neck but the sound of a more pained groan distracts her enough that Dave can go somewhat misty and escape her grip. He flips her off as she tries to grab for him again, but Dave darts out of her range. John is in there and so is Dave’s rib. All he has to do is grab it and go. That’s all he’s going to do, really. Grab his rib and then leave these two to fend for themselves. Jade should have made a deal. 

At least, that’s the plan until Dave actually gets a look at John.

John is hanging from the ceiling by old rope, his head has fallen forwards, and there is a nasty gash on it. The skin around it is bruised and Dave can tell that the only reason it isn’t still bleeding is because the wendigo rubbed dirt into it. Sick fucker wants to keep him alive as long as possible. Dave can respect that. The wendigo has done the same to the many cuts all over John’s torso. Dave can see every gash without John’s shirt. It’s quite a lovely view.

He kneels down to look at John and is a bit surprised when John looks up at him. His blue eyes are completely unfocused and his skin is discolored to a pasty hue. Even with his cuts gummed up he’s lost a lot of blood. 

“Hey gorgeous,” Dave murmurs as he gets in close. “Miss me?”

“Daaaave?” John replies. He mouth drawing out the A like he needs a moment to figure out what is on the other end of the word. 

“Yep, it’s me,” Dave chuckles. “Just came back to get a little something.” His eyes trail John as his hands go to his pockets. He pushes his fingers up against John’s hip joints as his fingers dig down into the denim. He feels a small knife in one of them and it burns a little as his fingers brush it. In the other he finds the bone. 

“There you are,” he cooes at it. Dave lets his shirt melt away as he pushes himself closer to John and pulls the bone from John’s pocket. The skin on skin contact makes John tremble and Dave want to slip inside his skin again.

“Thanks for taking care of it for me,” Dave tells John as he wraps an arm around his neck. His fingers gently play with John’s hair. “You even put it back together for me.” Dave leans in. “You’re so sweet. Maybe I should give you a k-” Dave doesn’t get to finish as there is a loud blast. 

He ducks, thinking that the crazy cousin has finally fucking lost it, but instead hears a scream of pain. Turning, Dave finds that the wendigo is very much in the room and had been very close indeed. It looks like a humanoid stick bug in the dark as it stumbles back with part of its head missing. A second later there is another hole where the things chest had been.

“Don’t you fucking move,” Jade tells Dave even though she’s watching the wendigo. “I’m not done with you.” She fluidly reloads the gun as she speaks and Dave is a bit mesmerized as she pumps the gun and shoots. The next shot explodes into fire and he is stunned as he watches the thing on the ground writhe and burn. 

“The hell is in th- Hey, hey!” Dave puts his hands up as he finds that barrel in his face.

“Back away from my cousin,” she tells him. The words are just barely audible over the dying screams of the wendigo. Dave didn’t think she’d take it out quite that quick, but apparently he makes a good diversion, which is something he could really use right about now. Or a shield.

“Aw, but I’ve missed him,” Dave tells her as he drops his arms back around John. The gun grows steadier on his head. This close there is no way that she’ll miss John if she shoots. 

John lets out an odd sound before he moves his head onto Dave’s shoulder. It startles him a bit, but whatever. Guy probably has a concussion worse than a linebacker. 

“See, he’s missed me too.” Dave drags his rib over John’s lips and is even more amazed that John opens his mouth a little. It takes barely a press to get the bone into John’s mouth. The space where Dave’s rib should sit glows with heat and Dave can’t help but make a happy little sound as he leaves it in John’s mouth. John’s tongue rubs over it while his lips and teeth hold it loosely. 

The look that crosses over Jade’s face isn’t particularly human. She has to be part something else. No human should be able to make a demon feel uncomfortable. 

“Let him go before I blow off your legs.”

“Huh?” As soon as he questions it Jade has her gun pushed against Dave’s thigh. 

“What about John?” Dave asks, keeping his voice cool. “Don’t want to hit him.” With the shotgun, she’ll take a good amount of skin off his right thigh.

“He’s had worse,” Jade replies.

“Whoa, whoa, just a second,” Dave leans just a little closer to John. He can feel the coolness of his soul reaching around for him and knows what it wants. It wants Dave to fix him, knows he can, and damn if Dave doesn’t want back in to do so. “If you give me just a minute I can-”

The blast takes out one of his feet. Dave lets out a cry of pain as he clings to John with a grunt. 

“Fucking bitch! I can-” he cuts himself off as he sees something next to her shift. Dave’s eyes dart to the movement.

Bec lets out a loud bark a second later and Jade turns just fast enough to shoot the wendigo as it attempts to launch itself at her. The blast forces it backwards and Dave watches its head fly. The barrel rounds on him a second later and Dave barely has time to dart off.

He gets halfway down the tunnel before he realizes he’s missing something.

“Shit, really?” he whines to himself. 

Turning, he finds Jade’s gun trained on him again. 

“I see even a molecule of mist come towards him and I will make sure you won’t be floating anywhere for a good, long time.”

“But I can-” Dave barely manages to dodge down the hall before she shoots. As soon as he is safe around the corner he peeks out to watch Jade move towards the Wendigo. He doesn’t get to see anything else as Jade starts chanting something in the dark. Dave zips out quick, body still whole as his leg does its damndest to heal the salt damage.

“How the hell is she such a good shot?” He grumbles. A shudder runs through him as he feels the bone, still in John’s mouth, shift as John’s tongue laves over the sides of it. Dave doesn’t get to appreciate it for long.

“Crazy bitch,” he murmurs before shivering. From what he can tell she just took his bone out of John’s mouth. Whatever she’s saying in there is also making it ache a little. It’s not an exorcism, she probably knows he won’t stick around long enough for that, but fuck if it doesn’t hurt.

He’ll just have to wait for her to leave to get it. Then he’ll have to find another way to get back into John. He’s not doing well, not at all, and death’s going to start knocking on his door.

It doesn’t take long before they exit with the smell of smoke wafting out behind them. John is slung over Jade’s shoulders in a fireman’s carry and Bec is at her heals. Dave waits a few moments before he goes towards the cave entrance and then pauses. His rib isn’t in the cave anymore.

“Seriously?” Dave watches Jade walk off into the woods and feels a burning in his rib as her voice carries back to him. Now that he can hear her he realizes that it is a prayer, not a banishment, and it really fucking hurts.  
\---

John wakes up feeling hot. Okay, maybe not hot, cold? Warm? It takes him a minute to realize that he doesn’t really feel...anything. Opening his eyes, John looks around the shitty rentable cabin Jade had got them at the beginning of the week. The walls are bleak and cracking wood, the windows are barely hanging in there, it’s rotted as all hell and...why isn’t he staring at the ceiling? He’s not sitting up.

“Hello, John.” The voice is warm, happy, and female. It’s also not Jade.

John’s head whips over to find a girl he has never seen before standing at the foot of the bed. Her skin is tanned to the point that she looks like she’s never really been indoors, her facial features show Chinese lineage, and she is short and thick. Her wide hips are wrapped in a long black skirt, a large, maroon t-shirt with short sleeves leaves her upper body almost swimming in it, and what looks to be camping boots envelope her feet. Her black hair is wild and wavy, like she hasn’t brushed it much. It’s her eyes that make John feel the most uncomfortable, though. The irises are a shade too red to be brown. Too red to be human. They almost look like Dave’s.

He swallows and backs up a bit. “Who are you,” John asks evenly. What is going on? Who is this? Did he and Jade get jumped after the Wendigo? Is she another hunter sent out by Grandpa? Another demon?

“My name is Aradia,” she replies cheerfully. 

Who? John’s never heard that name before. What is going on? 

Aradia gives a slight laugh. “I’m neither of those things, John,” she tells him and her knowing his thoughts doesn’t sit well with him. His brain tries to come up with another possibility. “And no, I’m not any of those other creepy crawlies you and your cousin are so fond of hunting.” 

“Th-then what are you doing here?” John asks.

A wide smile splits across her face. “I’m here to take you to the party.”

John blinks at her. “Party? What party?”

A pleasant laugh escapes her. “The one on the other side silly. And from the way you’ve been living, I’m surprised you weren’t invited earlier.”

“Wha-I-” John backs up a little more before he sees the foot of the bed, only he’s not standing next to the bed. Nope, he’s standing in the middle of the bed and there are legs stick out through John’s knees. Everything in him freezes. John doesn’t want to turn around, though he has a horrible feeling that he knows what he’s going to see when he does.

“D-did I really knock my head that hard?” John asks her as he stares at the unmoving feet. 

Her smile softens. 

“I’m afraid so,” she tells him. “But don’t be sad about it. You get to come with me and go to the corpse party! Everyone you’ve ever known will be waiting to welcome you with cake and punch!”

“Corpse party…” John finally turns and looks. What he sees makes his body actually feel cold and a small thrum of pain runs through John’s head. He’s looking at himself and John has to admit he looks pretty damn dead. 

“Now we just have to wait for you to finally let go,” Aradia adds as John look at Jade’s attempts to fix his head. The bandage is already soaking through with blood, his left eyes is swollen shut, and by the way his brow ridge is jutting out it’s pretty obvious that his skull is broken. 

In the next room over he can hear words. They are muffled but he can still hear sobs now and again. His heart aches a little as he realizes it’s Jade.

“What if I don’t want to?” he asks her.

Aradia lays a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have any choice I’m afraid. Your body won’t hold out much longer,” she tells him. “Though you're a fighter. Head and brain trauma like that usually takes people out quick.”

“Are you sure I can’t stay?” Even as he asks it he can feel his hope diminishing. 

“Not unless you want to be stuck in the space between,” Aradia tells him. “Flitting in and out of people’s dreams without being able to talk with them, stuck without a guide to the afterlife, slowly going insane as you are stuck watching memories on repeat. My sisters dealing with one right now and let me tell you, it isn’t pretty. Most reapers would have given up but she’s got a streak of determination as long as time itself.” The words are meant to be kind but they just make John feel awful.

“So it’s either I die or become a ghost?”

“No, you’ll only become a ghost if you die and then run away from me,” Aradia tells him. “And please don’t do that. There are so many people who want to see you again.”

“Then what happens if I stay?” 

“Your body lays around while you’re stuck in your own head or wandering the halls of the in-between looking for the way out,” Aradia replies. “And before you ask, there is only one way back to heaven but a thousand ways to get to, well...” She gives a shrug.

So either he dies or ends up in a coma somewhere. Neither sound particularly nice though he knows which one he’s going to choose. 

“How much longer until I...let go?” He’s not really sure he wants to know. What sounds like angry yelling comes from the other room and John looks in Jade’s direction.

“It’s up to you,” Aradia says gently as she squeezes John’s shoulder. When he tries to go to the door she keeps him in place with a gentle pressure. “Your body is already failing, but you’re forcing it to hold on. If you hold on for too long I’ll have to leave you, but the sooner you do let go the sooner I can take you to see your Dad.” 

John’s head whips to the side to look at Aradia. She gives a gentle smile and squeeze. 

“Dad’s waiting?” he asks softly.

“With cake,” Aradia replies.

A dull warmth blooms in John’s chest before he looks at the door to the other room. It’s open, but Jade’s out of sight, though Bec is looking into the room with his ears down and sad eyes.

“Can we wait, just a little longer?” He asks. “Just until…”

“Sure,” she says as she gently rubs circles into his back.

They both stare at the door. John can hear Jade talking in the other room, her voice angry and breathing coming in sobs. When she finally appears in the doorframe she is still clutching the phone. Her eyes are red, her body is covered in bloody scratches from running through the trees, and she’s paler than he’s seen her in a long time. She looks young, like when they were kids and her father had told them to hide under the sink. Around her something shimmers, like looking at water through a glass. She’s in a clean shirt but her pants still show splotches of John’s blood. The cloth is low cut and with no sleeves and shows a plethora of scars.

Aradia eyes the scars as Jade walks by. “Touched by an angel that one,” she murmurs. John pays little attention to the words as he watches his cousin.

“John,” she sob as she bends over him. John watches her wipe tears from both her cheeks and his own with shaking hands. “I’ve got the bone in a devil’s trap,” she tells him. “I promise you we’ll make him pay.” Her voice hasn’t been this broken since their parents funerals. “John, all you have to do is wake up and I swear we’ll-” The sentence ends in a sob.

“There had better be booze in heaven,” John say thickly as he watches Jade try to speak and fail. 

Aradia’s laugh doesn’t make him feel any better. She lets go of his shoulder and steps away behind him. A moment later and there is a shift in sound. Turning around, John sees a simple white doorway, like the ones they had in his house when he was a kid. He swears he can hear his father’s laugh on the other side.

“Ready?” Aradia asks him with a smile.

\---

Dave had followed Jade through the forest all night. Multiple times he had almost gone to her and John and tried to do...something, but he hadn’t dared. Her trigger finger seemed sharper than ever with how quick she took out a squirrel and then a bat that had startled her on her trek. THe entire time she hadn’t stopped the prayers. They were short and sweet and constantly repeated, keeping Dave at bay in his severely weakened state. Hell he can still barely go misty and it’s been a few hours.

 _'Come on, come on! There has got to be a fucking hole somewhere!'_ Dave pushes at the cabin they had entered around midnight. It’s old as shit and full of holes but every single nook and cranny seems to be filled in. 

He has to get in there. He doesn’t care about the rib anymore and fuck the bullshit cat and mouse game. John is in there and Dave knows he’s just about dead. Dave can feel one of those fucking reapers hanging around his doorstep and Dave’s not about to let that bitch, bastard, or asshole take John from him. Back in the cave he thought the fucker would at least hang on long enough to get to a hospital. Then he could slip into that skin and just...He will not let that stupid act of whatever he did back in the hotel end with John being killed by a god damn Wendigo of all things. John’s death is Dave’s to give and take. He saved John from Bro, twice, and he’s going to die on Dave’s terms. These are not Dave’s terms.

 _'Just a molecule,'_ Dave pleads as he circles the house again. There has got to be a crack somewhere he can get through. John must have talked to Jade because every pipe and air vent has one of those damn salt sticks in front of it. The windows are all covered, the doors, even the cracks in the goddamn walls! There has to be one somewhere that he can get through, just one. 

_‘I just need a- YES!’_ It’s in John’s room, the very side of one of the window sills. The salt stick and the extra salt don’t line up perfectly in the frame. The gap is tiny but Dave is able to sidle his molecules through it though it’s extremely slow going. With how much energy he’s used up already it’s going to be hellish to fix John up. Maybe he can just stay inside him a while after he finishes and... 

Dave berates himself, _’Concentrate’_. He has to make sure Jade can’t see him, and he doesn’t want to alert the damn dog hanging around her. Jade is crying, not hard, but enough that she’s letting out sobs now and again. It’s weird seeing the bad ass that used him as bait crying, but human emotions and all that crap.

A phone goes off. 

“Hang on, John,” she tells him as she gets up and Bec goes to her side. “We’re going to find someone, okay, we’re going to find someone.” She squeezes his hand, walks out, and shuts the door. As soon as she’s gone he can see the reaper. It’s a dark spot in the middle of the room and Dave wonders what they might look like. Only the dead get to see reapers.

He skirts around it as he goes to John. Dave’s got one shot at this, just one, so he needs to do it right. 

_Fucking comforter,’_ he grumbles as he pulls the fabric down. As soon as it is clear of John’s body, his molecules splay out over John and he can feel the soul inside shifting around waiting for him. 

_‘I’m coming, I’m coming,’_ he chuckles as he goes to push inside. Dave quickly finds that he can’t get in. 

\------

“What’s happening?” John asks as he watches some sort of smoke enter the room from the window. 

“It looks like someone else wants to say goodbye,” Aradia replies with pursed lips. John looks back at the window and feels sick.

“Is...is that Dave?” 

“Yep.” Her voice is curt as they watch the smoke filter into the room and hover in the corner.

“Why does he look like that?”

“Because you’re seeing him through the eyes of the dead,” Aradia replies. “I mean, what do you expect a burnt out soul like his to look like?”

“Do all demons look like him?”

She gives a snort. “Just the fake ones.”

“Fake ones?” John’s head snaps to look at her. “What do you mean fake ones?” he asks as Jade stands up from the side of the bed.

“I think he’s attempting to possess you,” Aradia responds with instead as her head cocks to the side. John’s head snaps back to his body where the dark smoke is pulling away a corner of the demon trap comforter that is laying over him. As soon as the blanket is down pasted John’s feet, the smoke goes to lay over his body. He feels a tingling sensation as his entire being trembles. Another stab of hope goes through him before he realizes the smoke isn’t going into his body.

“Oh shit…” he breathes as he watches the smoke press down.

“Huh?”

“Jade had a sharpie,” is all he replies with as Aradia looks between him, the solidifying Dave, and the body.

A grin spreads over her face. “Then this will be interesting.” 

“Son of a bitch,” Dave bites out as he stands next to John. He has found the new anti-possession symbol. The whole thing is about the circumference of softball and is spread over John’s lower back. Jade had made a tramp stamp joke the day before as she had drawn it on, having to do a bigger size to get in all the detail. John really wishes he hadn't brought up losing his other one now.

Dave stands eyeing the thing as John stands next to him, though Dave doesn’t seem to notice. This close John can see a slight, smokey aura around Dave.

“It’s like you want to fucking die,” Dave grumbles just loud enough for John to hear. Dave then paces around him.

“What did you mean when you said fake demon?” John asks as he watches Dave. He pauses by the bed and sticks his hands under one of the pillows. 

“Sorry hun, not dead yet,” she tells him as Dave looks the pistol over. “Can’t go spreading secrets. I know an angel that got pretty screwed over for that. I’m already probably getting a tongue lashing.” She frowns a bit.

John looks between her and Dave. “But you said ‘fake demons’, so he’s not actually one? What about Bro? Is he-”

“Wow, that is such a smart idea,” Aradia says loudly. John glances back at Dave and then does a double take. He’s got John rolled onto his side with one hand and the gun pointed towards the window with the other.

“Here I come.” Dave’s words are soft before he empties the clip out the window. Glass shatters and the salt stick explodes. In the other room there is a shout and barking as the gun clicks empty. John watches Dave’s hand move lightning quick to John’s back. 

A scream erupts from John half a second after the hot barrel touches his skin. It presses all along his lower back and then twists. John doesn’t get to see what happens next because he is very much back in his body. Pain lances through every bit of him as the heat of the gun cuts through all the other injuries. It burns John’s flesh, making it bubble and blacken, destroying part of the sharpie tattoo and making the mark worthless. There is a thud as the gun falls to the floor and John is suddenly not alone in his own head.

 _’Miss me?’_ Dave asks even though John can’t see him. He tries to say something but an invisible pressure stops him. _’Shhh, you can whisper sweet nothings to me later. Right now I need to stitch you up before that cousin of yours rips the door off the hinges. Be straight with me, she a shifter?’_

John can’t reply as he feels things start to go numb and then itchy. John’s right eye opens and he sees a blur of Aradia.

“Interesting indeed,” he can hear her says. Her voice waivers and he’s not sure if she’s happy or pissed.

 _’So that’s what a reaper looks like,’_ John hears Dave mutter. _’Damn, I always hoped they really did have sickles.’_

A gunshot blast makes John’s one good eye swivel to see what is going on. He finds Jade suddenly bursting through the door. Bec comes in right after her with a snarl. 

_’Damn, that was quick,’_ he hears Dave say. _’The fuck did that thing do to your head,’_ follows it. _’It’s like trying to turn ground beef back into steak up here.’_

_’What are you doing?’_ John manages to ask as he feels some strength return and his brain starts making sense of things. 

_’Putting humpty dumpty back together again, duh,’_ Dave replies as things grow clearer and clearer.

 _’Why?’_

There is a pause in conversation as Dave keeps fixing him. John can see Jade turning round and round in the room. 

_’Because you’re mine,’_ Dave replies back finally. _’And I didn’t just save your ass twice just to let it be delivered to those feathered fucks upstairs. Besides, I wouldn’t get any visiting hours.’_

John finds that he’s able to blink again. 

“Wha-” he manages out loud. That’s about all John gets out before the window Dave had been shooting through explodes inwards. John turns his head on a creaking neck, feels his brain swim, and then Dave rights it as they both look through John’s eyes. The fixing stops and John’s heart feels like it might as well.

“Lil’man,” Bro says from where he stands at the window. “I think you and I need to have a chat.” 

_’Fuck,’_ rings through John’s head and John can’t tell if it’s him or Dave. 

Dave starts fixing faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next weeks gonna be fun for y'all. -grins-


	6. Leaving Scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe we caught any left over grammar crap, but apologies if me and the betas missed anything. Everyone has hectic schedules right now so we're all wiped. Speaking of which, it will be two weeks until I get up the last chapter. I am extremely busy with traveling for family graduation stuff and family birthdays (seriously we have like five this month) so that'll have to go on the back burner. Also it's the end of the month so Commissions and Patreon rewards take precedence over chapters. 
> 
> Anyways, please enjoy, and I'll see y'all back here in two weeks!

Bro stands in front of the shattered window with his arms crossed and tapping his foot. He’s also completely nude, which doesn’t seem to phase Jade, but Dave can feel John’s soul shivering inside his skin like a multi-speed vibrator. 

“Sup, Bro,” Dave says with John’s mouth. The words are very slurred and wonky. Damn it, he thought he had fixed that part. A quick look tells him that no, no he is not done with the pink ground chuck that is currently John’s brain. 

“So you’re Bro,” Jade grits out through clenched teeth. “Should’ve known you’d be around too.” 

“John tol’ you ‘bout him?” The words come out slurred. Damn it, not quite there.

Dave’s words have Jade’s gun wavering for just a moment as if unsure of where to point it. Bec is next to her, hackles raised and ears back. He keeps his eyes trained on Bro while his owner tries to figure out her target. Dave really hopes she still has a few bullets left on her because this is about to get really fucking messy. 

“He told me a lot more than that.” Jade trains her gun on Bro. “Thanks for saving me the trouble of summoning you.”  


“And here I thought you were s’posed to be the smart one,” Bro drawls. Dave watches his eyes flick over to John. “Good to know you’re as hungry for the D as that little prick over there.”

“If by D you mean death then you bet your ass I am, and yours will probably be better than ginger molasses cookies.” 

“Oh, so you’ve actually got some snark to ya.” Bro grins wide. “Guess I know who really has the balls in the family.”

“Have them stuffed in my glove-box. Let me know if you need to borrow a pair.” She motions at Bro’s junk. “Doesn’t look like you’re packing much.”

_’Shit, she goes for the jugular doesn’t she._

_’She’s trying to buy you time,_ John replies, though his words are only shared in his head-space.. _’To finish...whatever it is you’re doing. What even are you doing?’_

_’Currently? I’m trying to figure out how to make your skull lie flat.’_

_‘Why? So you and Bro can crack it open again?’_

_’Like I’m ever letting Bro near your skull. New rule, I am the only one allowed to go digging around in your grey matter. Got it?’_

_‘Then why did you bring him here?’_

_‘I didn’t,’_ Dave tells him. _‘I knew he was fucking following me in the in-between but I didn’t know he was out here too.’_

A few questions echo in the back of John’s skull, ‘in-between?’ being one of the biggies, but it’s not what John focuses on which is nice. Dave’s not sure he could explain that shit if he tried. 

_’Why is he following you?’_

_’I don’t know,’_ he starts teasingly. _Maybe because I’m a little obsessed with a certain human and keep bringing him back to life when I should want to murder him.’_

There is a pause as John’s soul shifts. _’You mean you didn’t let me live just to torture me more?’_

All work on the trauma halts for a moments. 

_’Well no...I mean. Yeah? I…’_ Dave shudders as John’s soul touches against his again. He can feel it start to prod. 

_’Why did Aradia say you're a fake demon?_

Dave freezes. John takes the chance to press at Dave’s soul. He skims past the burnt places and becomes a balm that soothes Dave’s rigidness. For a moment he just lets it flow into him; allows it to wind its way down into his heat. John is a cool river of confusion and curiosity that drags over Dave like waves over sand, or maybe river rock. Dave remembers woods, streams, and a happy but tired laugh.

 _’What was that?’_ John brushes something and Dave almost jolts out of John’s body.

_’Do you want me to fix you or do you want to live with permanent brain damage for the rest of your life?'_ Dave hisses as he shoves John’s soul out of him. John stops prodding, both with his soul and verbally, and Dave goes back to work. There, now most of the brain is done; it’s just kinda bruised. Dave just needs to work on the damn bleeding and bone now. 

“What are you up to in there, Dave?” Bro calls as he walks forwards a little. “Could feel you shiver from here. You two having fun without me in there?” Bro takes a step towards them.

Jade cocks her gun. 

“Don’t you take one more step, fucker,” she growls.

Whelp, looks like banter time is over. Dave speeds up as he listens to them talk. Bro’s not going to be talking much longer and he still has a lot left to do to John’s skull.

“Or what? You’ll put lead in m-” Like with Dave, he doesn’t get to say much before Jade has him full of rock salt. He lets out hisses of pain as he tries to shake the stuff off.

“Wouldn’t make her mad, Bro,” Dave calls, and oh hell yes, John’s body is talking. “She doesn’t let up on that trigger.” 

Bro responds with a chuckle as he straightens. The salt burns through him with a slight hiss. Dave sneaks a look and he can see the smoke coming off of him as the pieces sink down through his molecules. Jade moves closer to John and Dave.

“Get out of him,” she hisses down at John’s body. “Or I will send you straight back to hell.”

“What, you don’t want me healing him?” Dave asks her.

“You’re doing what?” her and Bro say just about in tandem. It has been a while since Dave has seen Bro shocked. He forgot Bro’s eyebrows could go that high.

“I knew you had become too obsessed with that hunter,” Bro scoffs when his brows return to their normal place. “You didn’t want to kill him, you wanted a plaything.” 

“He is not a plaything,” Jade cuts in with a growl.

Bro smirks. 

“Really? I thought he made a great one when we were balls de-” The shotgun pulls and Bro goes misty before shooting forwards. Jade’s next move confuses Dave as she grabs the blanket that he had shoved down John’s legs and throws it. Dave watches Bro come together to bat it out of the way, and in doing so he spins and trips backwards on the cloth until he is lying at an odd, crumpled angle on top of it.

_’The hell?’_

_’Devil’s trap,’_ John provides. _’Still kind of amazed you managed to stay out of it when you were trying to get in me.’_

 _’Once I get you patched up I’ll be getting into you a completely different way,’_ Dave tells him with a smirk that he knows John can feel. The shaft of fear that shoots through him makes Dave grin. _’Oh come on, it’s just a little thank you sex. I’ll even let you keep me cuffed. Wouldn’t tha-’_

“You bitch,” Bro bites out and Dave’s little conversation is cut short. Oh well, he’ll continue it later. Right now Dave needs to get out of John asap. Not that he’s looking forward to it. He wants to stay wrapped up in the cool soul and never leave. He’s going to have to run sooner or later though. They aren’t going to be able to keep Bro trapped like that forever and while Dave could usually keep up with him in a fight he’s going to be weak as a pree-mee when he leaves John. That devil’s trap isn’t going to last long either. There has only been one trap Bro was never been able to get out of and Dave doesn’t see anything even remotely ropelike.

_’’Why would we need rope?’_

Dave jerks at John’s question. 

_’Would you get out of my memories,’_ Dave hisses. He had barely noticed John’s tendril of soul prodding into him again. He shoves it away as he goes back to fixing broken bone.

_’You were alive once, weren’t you._

_’Well I didn’t fall from heaven,’_ he grunts before he goes back to fixing. Outside the body Bro gives out some colorful curses. Dave would love to sit back and just watch what’s about to happen, but he’s too occupied trying to fix up John’s body.

“Do you really think a flimsy little sheet is going to keep me in here?” Bro asks as he stands in the middle of the blanket. 

“It’s done it before,” Jade replies. 

That makes Bro laugh and Dave hates it. That’s the laugh he always gives before he kicks someone's ass and then fucks them raw; usually Dave. It doesn’t help that it’s the same laugh he’d let loose down below; an accent to his tempo with his strikes and stabs.

“I wonder what kind of weak fucks you’ve been dealing with.” Bro chuckles as he leans down. Dave sees exactly what’s about to happen and Jade must too because she shoots Bro’s hand. One of the corners has fallen into the somewhat squashed and crumpled circle. Bro may not be able to mess with the stuff outside the circle, but that cloth is inside and doesn’t have anything printed on it. It’s fair game. 

“Hands up,” Jade growls. 

Bro gives the laugh again and fuck Dave needs to work faster. His brother has a plan.

 _’What’s wrong?’_ John asks. Dave doesn’t answer.

“How many bullets do you have left in that?” Bro asks. “One, two? Can’t keep my hands off this much longer can ya?” 

“Bec, fetch,” Jade says. The dog dashes out of the broken door. Bro’s eyes follow him. The second the dog is out there is a crash and a pained whimper. That’s not fucking good.

“Bec!” Jade’s head turns.

“Bro!” Dave reminds her and Jade barely gets the shot off in time.

Bro snarls at the two of them. 

“You know what, Dave. I was thinking about letting you keeping that fuck puppet around, but now I’m thinking my plan would be better. I really would love to see what his heart looks like sliding down my dick.”

“You’ll have to fight me for that honor,” Dave calls back.

 _’Hey!’_ John yelps. It is accented by a snarl from Jade.

_’Sorry, sorry. Old habits.’_

“Nah, little brother. I don’t think I will. If you haven't noticed I’m nice and fed and you probably couldn’t open a window with your current energy.” Dave refuses to turn John’s head, instead keeping it looking between him and Jade. “I know you know I can tear this place apart if I want. Flying glass, broken beams, the whole shabang. It’s good being Daddy’s favorite someti-”

“Shut up,” Dave hisses as he keeps working on John.

“Still sore he never made you as strong?”

Dave fights to keep John’s body from giving a dry swallow. Shit. 

_’Dave, Dave what is he talking about?’_ John asks.

“Would be easy to send you on back down like this, have Daddy give you a little refresher course on what it is that we demons DO!” His shout has an actual pressure to it and it makes Dave’s ears ring and Jade jerks like she wants to blow a hole through his chest, but she stays steady. “So I’ll give you one shot here, little brother.” The annunciation of each syllable makes Dave shiver. “Either come on out of there on your own and have a little fun with me, or go back down and say hello to Daddy dearest yourself.”

 _’Dave...’_ is all that comes through with John. Dave knows John can feel his panic. He has no idea what to say to John or Bro. Beg for their lives? Yeah like that’ll do much. Plead? It’ll just make Bro happier when he tears out Dave’s liver and forces him to watch him fuck John to death. Though, maybe that would be okay. Dave could feed off of him and Jade, get his strength back, get out of here. Even as Dave thinks it, he’s still fixing John, healing the worst of it and leaving bruises behind. 

_’Dave,_ John starts again. _’I’m pretty sure I’m healed enough so can’t you just...run?’_

_’What?’_ Dave stops working.

 _’Run, get out of here, vapor away and fuck off royally.’_

_’You telling me to drop you and save myself?_ Dave goes back to the last of the big bleeds. Just need another minute or two. 

“Time’s wasting lil’man,” Bro calls. 

The cool soul pushes at him a bit. _’...Kinda?’_ John replies.

 _’Don’t want to see him rip me limb from limb?’_ Dave ask him with a laugh in his voice.

 _’No, pretty sure I would enjoy that,’_ John replies and Dave smirks. _’But that wouldn’t kill you. He sends you back down and...well I got a glimpse of what he did to you before.’_

Dave pushes past the need to pause. _’What did I say about my memories, John?’_

_’Like I need your consent.’_

Dave can’t help but smirk. _’So you’re saying you don’t want the big ol’ demon to go back to hell?_ The idea that John actually might not has Dave feeling odd. Very odd.

It takes him a moment, but John finally speaks again. 

_’I don’t think you ever were a demon.’_

Dave really has to stop now. Outside he can feel John’s body shaking. 

“Why did they hang you?” John’s voice comes out of his own mouth and even Bro freezes. 

Part of Dave soul throbs as he feels questions pushing up and into him.

“What did you just say?” Bro growls. 

John ignores him and asks, “Who’s Karkat?”

“The fuck are you tell him lil’man?”

Dave’s soul wraps tight around John’s to keep it from going deeper, and more importantly, shut him up.

 _’Stop it,_ he pleads. Dave pushes against John, curls up around him and into, and presses against every point. Truths come from it, whispers of confusions that echo within Dave. John doesn’t want him dead, he wants revenge, but he also wants answers, and Dave can’t be dead for any of those things.

 _’The hell did you do to me John?’_ Dave feels him gasp and writhe as the hot, dark pressure of his soul pushes deeper into John. _’You’ve got me all twisted up since the first time I slipped inside you._

Fear runs through John for a moment before he pushes back, and damn that is nice. That is really fucking nice. John’s bright and cool, full of energy, and Dave just wants to stay right here and feel his soul’s newly found pulse beat against John’s. Dave doesn’t want to pull away from; he doesn’t want his new beat to disappear. Not when he’s just found it.

A gunshot goes off and Dave knows times up.

“Hey, Jade, still know that little poem you tried to recite to me earlier?” Dave calls out of John’s mouth. Most of him is screaming that Dave’s going to regret this, a lot, but the small pulsing inside his soul makes him not care.

“You know I do,” Jade replies. “Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus-” she starts, and Dave already feels the tug.

“Dave, what are you doing,” Bro snarls.

“Going back to hell either way aren’t I?” Dave calls as he swirls around in John and soaks up as much of him as he can. It’s going to be a while until Dave can get back under his skin, especially if they force Daddy to take them back in for a while. “At least this way I get to take my best bro back with me.”

 _’You’re fucking insane,’_ John whispers.

 _’Sweet talker,’_ Dave replies. Jade’s still going strong and Dave has only a few moments left. He fixes a couple more small things, patches what damage he can, and leaves a few bruises but no cuts. The only large wound he leaves is the burn. As he is tugged away he is forced to let the pain back in. It has John’s soul and body gasping. 

_’Little thing to remember me by,’_ Dave tells him as he . _’Not that you’ll be forgetting me anytime soon.’_

 _’Nope,’_ John gasps. Behind them Bro is screaming; his hand goes for the blanket corner only for another blast to go off. 

_’Be seeing ya,’_ Dave tell John as he hears Jade’s gun click empty. Bro starts tearing but Dave knows it’s too late. He’s already bought their one way ticket home and there is no canceling now. Jade finishes the chant and for a brief moment Dave sticks with his soul still wrapped around John’s. They stay mingled and Dave can feel John’s panic and confusion, and the way that his mind tries to understand why he wants him to stay and run a knife through his heart all at once. Dave feels these things and smiles. 

John’s soul clings to him, tries to hold him.

 _’You’re not a de-’_ he starts. Dave doesn’t hear the rest before something tears and he is ripped away.

He gets a look at John’s body as he’s sucked back. His eyes are wide, confused, and he’s bruised all to hell, but whole. Even as Dave is sucked away he can feel something cool clinging to him and he wraps tight around it.

John gasps out ‘Dave’ as Jade puts on the finishing touches. Dave kind of wishes he could say something back, but he really can’t. Dave’s whole being is pure pain with Jade’s words and when he crashes into Bro’s soul on their way down it intensifies. 

_’I’m going to kill you over, and over, and over,’_ Bro starts as they both shoot metaphorically southward.

 _’Whatever you say, Bro,’_ Dave replies. To be honest, he doesn’t really care. He can do hell again, he’s done it before, and nothing will ever beat that first time. He knows all of Bro’s tricks and most of Daddy’s. 

Bro’s quiet for a moment. _’Alright,_ he says. _Then how about I teach you a different lesson.’_

Dave doesn’t like the sound of that.

_’I’m going to kill that little prick myself. And when I do, I’m dragging him down here and I will make you watch me strip his soul of that human light until he is as black as me.’_

Hell is coming up fast. Another second and they’re both going to be in someone’s claws. 

_’When you do I’ll be waiting.’_ Dave’s voice is a warning.

 _’Not if our Lord has anything to say about that.’_ His sudden detanglement from Dave is confusing. _’Daddy doesn’t give a shit, but him?’_ Bro laughs. _’After he’s done with you you’ll be begging to help me.’_

 _’Bro!?’_ Dave yells after him, tries to hold onto him, but he’s gone. Dave floats alone in the dark. He floats suspended, soul tight around the stripe of coolness inside him. It echoes his confusion and fear back to him.

 _’So you’re the little shit stain I was told about,’_ echoes into his being and it hurts. The words are flaming splinters shoving under the fingernails of Dave’s soul. They dig down deep and poke at the pulsing place inside him. He pushes the coolness as deep as he can, tries to protect it behind the burnt out bits that the shards of pain don’t seem interested in.

_’Looks like you need a few refresher courses.’_

Already part of Dave is wondering why he hadn’t just let that fucking human die; an outlier of heat and anger. The rest of him huddles around the small pinpoint of coolness and pleasure that John left in his burnt out soul. 

A shard of pain wriggles towards it, tries to touch it, and Dave fights it immediately.

 _’Secrets secrets are no fun and all that shit,’_ the voice says as it tries to force Dave’s soul apart to reach it. Dave feels the coolness slither towards the pulsing piece inside of him and is surprised as it is sucked down into it. The shards try to follow but can not penetrate the beating piece of his soul, no matter how much they try.

 _’Alright then, have it your way fucker.’_ The shards stop stabbing around the pulsing portion of his being. _’I’ll figure out what you have stashed in there soon enough.’_

The snarl Dave lets out surprises even him. It is weak, and foolish, but Dave’s not about to let them get whatever John left him. 

If he wants it so bad then he’ll have to tear it from Dave.

“I’ll tear a lot more than that.”

The world starts to solidify.

There is no way to brace for the pain.

\------

“John, come on,” Jade calls as John walks slowly out of the cabin. His arms are ladened with the last boxes. Three days, he’s been out for three days, yet none of it feels even close to a dream; the burn scar on John’s side has made damn sure of that. It throbs with pain even at the barest rub of clothing on the bandage. It’s going to leave an ugly scar.

“Come on, I almost died. I saw a reaper for christ sake, cut me some slack,” John calls as he walks down the stairs. Besides the burn, the rest of him feels pretty much fine. There are still bad bruises around his face, but from what Jade can tell, the brain damage is healed, and John’s skull is melded together. Well, at least mostly. It’s still soft in a couple places, but whole.

“Almost doesn’t count,” she replies as she comes up to John and takes one of the two boxes of supplies from him. “And we need to get going. Grandpa wants us back state-side ASAP.”

John rolls his eyes and shifts his box. It makes the rib in John’s jacket pocket bump into his arm with each step. Jade had wanted him to get rid of it, but he hadn’t. Somehow the thing has stuck around despite Dave being sent back. It’s still warm.

John follows her back to the car with Bec walking next to him as they go. He’s got a slight limp. Bro had somehow made a bookshelf fall on the dog, though it hadn’t done all that much damage. If it had, John knows Jade would have summoned him herself just to send him straight back with a few new holes.

“Yeah yeah, I know, new trainee,” John replies as Jade tosses the box into the back of her car. John’s car is still in town since her Jeep is better suited for the wild. He’ll pick it up on his way out of Canada.

“Hey, he’s already taken down a demon. Maybe we’ll get lucky and he’ll live more than two hunts,” Jade says as she closes the trunk. She gives him a bright, wide smile that is more of a mask than anything ever carved. “Could be useful.”

John nods as he gets into the car. As soon as he settles he shoves his hand back in his pocket; his fingers seeking out warmth. The rib seems to pulse in his fingers and it makes something inside him twist a little. He doesn’t know why, but just behind the burn it feels almost...empty. Like if not for the pain and the scar there wouldn’t be anything there at all but the empty feeling he gets when his stomach drops to his shoes. Why he’d have that in his back he doesn’t know, but it’s the only thing he can come up with. He hasn’t told Jade.

John gives the curved bone a squeeze before pulling out his hand and reaching behind his seat to pet Bec. Right now he needs to pay attention to what’s happening and try to at least leave thinking about Dave to his dreams. Well...nightmares.

“What’s his name again?” John asks her. He was still a bit groggy when she had told him about the new guy over a ration of powdered milk and eggs.

Jade starts the engine. “Cronus Ampora,” she tells John as she begins to pull away from the cabin. “And Grandpa says to hurry. He needs some of Nanna's sleeping herbs.”

“Why?” John rubs under Bec’s chin, and the dog pants happily in John’s ear. It sends a small curl of fear through him. It’s too familiar to someone else's breath as they say behind him. Phantom limbs settle around John’s stomach and John moves his head away to pretends to crack his neck. He starts to button up his shirt.

“Same reason we do,” Jade replies as she glances over at him. “Nightmares. He apparently had one so bad in a motel coming up someone called the cops.”

“Well then,” John says as he closing his eyes against the dappled sunlight coming through the trees and rests his head on the window’s glass. “Let’s go get Cronus.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who read the original, yes this was the last chapter. So what's chapter seven you may ask? -cackles- oh you'll find out.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave is reminded just how much hell can hurt. Please be warned there is a LOT of torture, gore, and small amounts of cannibalism in this chapter. You have been warned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That took waaaaaay to long to get out. I am so sorry. It is a chapter I had originally never thought I would actually put down on paper, so this was pretty interesting to try and sort out. Along with that I have a few large commissions I am tying to finish along side with Dealings with Demons, 'Claws and Effect: The adoption of Karkat Vantas' being one of them. Hoping to have 'Lost Boys' ready for y'all soon, but please be patient if it takes me a bit. For now, though, enjoy this chapter. I know I did, even if it drove me a little mad while I wrote.

Lord Calibron’s claws trace designs into Dave’s soul; ugly caricatures of a life before hell. Tender touches, fear of others, the pain of flames on his legs and a rope around his neck. He feels Bro’s cock inside him even though Bro isn’t anywhere near him. At least not now. He had been earlier when his body was young, feeble, and feverish; or had that just been the claws stirring up shit that should long be dead?

It’s hard to know for sure. Dave can’t tell how long Lord Caliborn has been carving his insides out; could be hours, days, months, or seconds. Hell’s funny like that. Get tortured long enough and all the pain just blurs. Flesh and phantoms have about the same weight in the mind, and Bro could have been in and out of him a million times and Dave would have no idea if it was real or not.

“And this little human made a deal,” Caliborn chuckles as Dave’s memories paint a rather rank picture. Lost in the woods, no Bro around- back when he was called Dirk- and the smell of smoke in the distance. Before him stands a strange, short man with bright red eyes like his.

“See, this is the fucker who should be working on you,” Caliborn grunts as the memory is literally shredded from his mind and left to stitch itself back together. “How Vantas could miss all this is beyond me. Especially that glaring patch of civility.” He pokes at the trembling bit of Dave that still houses the cool streak inside of him. “For a while, I thought he had gone soft on ya. Couldn’t believe this kind of fuck up after he did so well on your brother.”

Dave doesn’t respond. Trying to talk is almost impossible around Lord Caliborn. His presence is nothing but bamboo under his nails and fiberglass in his eyes. Every time he’s been forced to talk it feels like his tongue is trying to swell inside his throat.

“But now that I know what the fuck is going on, I think I’ll give your idiot brother another shot at doing his job right before I rub Karkat’s nose in you and remind him what a fucking soul looks like.” With a wave of his hand, Dave is whole again.

_'Another shot?'_

The shambling, rotting body of Caliborn moves past Dave. The only distinct features Dave can make out through his pain and fear is the sickening green, putrid flesh and the skull-like head. He tears his eyes away and shuts them tight. Inside him, the little cool spot trembles and writhes, feeling like it wants to tug itself away from Caliborn and take Dave with it. He wishes it could.

“Dirk Strider,” Caliborn calls into the room. The name rings out and sits heavy in Dave’s belly.

“Yes, my Lord.”

Bro’s voice comes just off to Dave’s right and is much more clipped and compliant than usual. The Texan accent has all but disappeared and one from a much older time drips through.

“Go dig around in your brother and pull out what you missed.”

Dave lets out a whimper as he understands what Caliborn had meant.

_‘No, not again.’_

“May I use tools?”

Memories of pain as Dave felt his insides burned out, torn, and everything stripped flits through his brain. Dirk had stood above him with a sword once, cut out his bones, brain, tongue, and anything else that the blade could bite into. Coming back together had taken forever, and once he was whole, Bro had pulled Dave apart all over again.

There is a bark of a laugh. The sharp sound is enough of an answer for both of them. It makes some of Dave’s fear slip away. 

Bro lets out a chuckle. “Hope you’ve missed my fingers as much as they’ve missed you.”

The fear returns. Dave knows all too well what those fingers can do. They’re almost more terrifying than the sword. Where it would cut they’ll break. He almost wishes for the touch of steel instead.

“Bro, please, no,” he begs softly as he lays on the cold slab. “Not again.” Dave whimpers as he tugs at his restraints and lets his words trail off as his tongue tries to choke him again. The thin wire cuts into his flesh and leaves slices and swelling along his wrists, over his hips, and his ankles.

Bro walks into Dave’s line of sight. He stands tall, his body moving precisely with the fluidity of a well-oiled machine. It speaks of self-assurance despite the fear and worry in his eyes. It burns just within the irises, but it isn’t for Dave. If it was, he would halt -if it was, he wouldn’t slide a nail so readily and easily through the flesh of Dave’s sternum- but Dave knows there is no fear for him in there anymore. Last time he saw it was when the floor had burned away beneath them and the nooses had gone taut. Even then it had barely been a glimmer.

“Dirk, please,” he begs as he feels Bro start removing some of his innards.

“Told ya, lil’man,” Bro responds with as he begins to dig. “Our Lord and Damner doesn’t take kindly to turncoats.”

Dave gasps as Bro starts to pull him out piece by piece. It’s almost familiar now, feeling his innards leave his body. It was a constant when he and Bro had first been dragged down and passed around. Karkat had owned them, in the most literal sense possible, and when he had been working on Dirk, Dave had been left to rot in whoever’s hands wanted him.

Mostly Legion.

“There’s a nice little memory,” Caliborn murmurs as he comes by to watch Bro’s hands work. _‘Maybe I should get them in here. Could be like old times. Let them put a few holes in you again and fill you up however they want.’_

Dave gives a sob as Caliborn’s claw punctures into his inner thigh. Immediately he feels a burn as his flesh blackens and chars up into his groin. His balls smolder, his cock withers, and he screams and sobs as the claw is pulled out. Copper pools in the back of his throat, but all it does is lubricate his vocal cords and make his rasping screams ring wetly through the room.

Bro glances down Dave’s body and gives a look that can only be read as ‘what a waste’, though Dave can’t focus much on it. His body bucks and writhes as he tries to get away from the growing sensation of pain that traces through him. Bro lets out a hiss and quickly drops what is most likely Dave’s liver, though it’s so cracked and burned Dave can’t be sure.

“Shut him up, would you?” Caliborn grunts.

“Bro, no, no please-” His voice is nothing but a raspy whimper. “-Dirk.”

“Sorry lil’man,” Bro replies as he stands next to him. “Guess I don’t get to listen to you sing for me this time.” Bro gives a wink, and even with Dave’s stomach outside his body, he’s can feel it drop. Bro leans down and reaches his hand up inside; his elbow pushes down into Dave’s empty gut as his fingers wrap around where Dave’s lungs meet his esophagus. While one hand does that, the other forces Dave’s mouth open. Guttural sounds of fear escape from him before Bro breaks his lower jaw. He screams as Bro leans in and grabs Dave’s tongue with his teeth.

Dave is able to get out a few more sounds before Bro jerks hard with both his teeth and hand. Dave’s voice dies out. He can feel his tongue tearing between Bro’s teeth, even if the nerves are no longer connected, and his lungs slip from him. They thud onto the slab with a wet thud. His entire body shudders as it tries to breathe on instinct.

Bro licks his lips. “Forgot how good you taste, lil’man.”

Dave writhes as Bro reaches back inside.

“Wonder if your heart has any sweetness left.”

Bro grips the fluttering organ. With a harsh twist, he removes it, and Dave watches his teeth sink deep into the flesh. If he could cry out he would as he watches the organ spasm; still beating despite being bitten in half.

Bro merrily munches on the meat as he continues to remove Dave’s innards one handed. Out comes everything he can tug until all that is left inside are dripping veins, bones, and scraps of muscle.

“All empty, my Lord,” Bro says as Dave lays gaping like a fish.

Lord Caliborn looks down at Dave then back at Bro. The backhand he delivers sends Bro flying across the room. Dave feels glee at seeing blood that isn’t his own grace Bro’s face. 

The small cool sliver pulses in pity.

“You call that cleaned out?” 

“I-I-”

“Shut up.” Caliborn waves a hand and Dave feels whole. At least, his skin does. No more burning flesh, no more feeling the base of his spine turning to ash. Besides the slit down his abdomen, his outer body looks normal.

“Go get your sire.”

Bro wipes his nose on his arm. “Should I give a reason?”

“Tell him he fucking missed a spot.”

Bro nods, and like that, Dave is alone with the king of hell once again.

Caliborn runs a claw over Dave’s body. “If it weren’t for all the fucking red tape and shit, I’d pull that little nugget out of you myself.” Caliborn twists his claw into Dave’s sternum, prodding at the emptiness inside. “But I didn’t make your deal, now did I?”

Dave can’t respond. Even if he could, the ever changing eyes of Caliborn silence him; each flicker of color in the sunken sockets is a window to a new level of pain. He’s roasting, freezing, impaled, and crushed. Each thing happens at the same time, his mind spins over with them, and an eternity stretches before him as Caliborn fills his mind with all hell has to offer.

\------------------------

There’s something about seeing the demon that damned him getting his ass beat that is just so fucking satisfying for Bro. The second he had pulled his Daddy dearest back to hell Caliborn had started going to town on him. Cutting, slicing, burning; everything that can be done and it is glorious to watch. Bro sneaks a smirk down to Dave, who can still see, and looks for the glee he knows his brother should be feeling. He frowns when all he sees is blankness and something he doesn’t quite understand in Dave’s eyes.

He doesn’t get to ponder it before having to take a sidestep as Caliborn brings Karkat over to the table. The King of Hell smashes his face down towards Dave’s skull.

“The fuck is that, Vantas?”

Caliborn’s voice runs stints of pain up Bro’s spine.

Bro watches Karkat stare down at Dave, then over his shoulder at Bro, and then at Caliborn.

“Lord Caliborn, please, I-”

Bro watches as Karkat is thrown across the room, much like he had been for the past few months. Though that had been with the Legion, not Caliborn, and he can at least feel a sense of self-thanks for that. There may be fifteen of those fuckers, but none of them have a backhand like the devil himself.

“You left your sired to complete your fucking job!” Lord Claiborne roars. It sends shards of pain through Bro and what little pleasure he felt from watching his Daddy getting his ass kicked evaporates.

“Dirk,” Lord Caliborn snarls. Bro stands up straight as his name stabs through him. The Lord of Hell has nothing about him that could be considered ‘nice’. His voice feels like glass inside Bro’s skull, his presence makes everything inside him clench, and every time he tries to look at him Dirk’s brain feels like it’s going to fry itself. Caliborn looks like someone who was lit on fire, thrown into a swamp and left to rot. Even with the torn up skin, though, there are signs of what had once been beautiful about him. High, sharp cheekbones, and the impressions of thick muscle under the torn up flesh. Jagged pieces of bone stick out right above his ears, the slightest hints of the halo that used to wrap around his skull.

Dirk steps forwards, “Yes Lord?”

“Reach into Dave and tear out what you were instructed to.”

Bro feels his stomach churn. Even with his flesh stitched back together he can feel the back of Caliborn’s hand on his cheek. He knows that he can do worse, will do worse if he fucks this up, but the hell is he supposed to do? He had shoved Karkat’s face towards Dave’s skull. Maybe what he’s looking for is in there?

“Yes, my Lord.”

Bro strides towards the slab that his brother is stretched out on. Despite his torn up insides his body looks pristine now. It had been hard to watch his brother's body slowly twist and burn like it had; too much of a reminder of what Caliborn will do if Bro fails.

He starts with the guts again, just to be sure. He finds a few stray bits of fat, some loose muscle, and pulls it free. All that is left are bones, a few veins and arteries, and of course, Dave’s brain.

_‘Well, it’s the only thing I haven’t fucked with yet.’_ Bro leans forwards and watches Dave’s eyes roll in agony. He takes the claw of his thumbs and pushes them through the jelly-like substance that is Dave’s eyes and feels them pop beneath his thumbs like overripe kiwi fruit. He watches the silent scream try to escape the hollows of his brother, and ignores it as he tries to find whatever it is he’s supposed to be looking for.

Scrambling Dave’s brain won’t do shit to his cognitive abilities or nervous system. He’ll feel it turn to mush, sure, but it doesn’t let him off the hook. Liquefying his gray matter is a bit hard to do, at least without tools, and he ends up snapping the thin amount of bone of Dave’s nose so that he can reach his claw in through the sinuses. A few moments later, his hand is covered in brainmatter -along with the table Dave’s is stuck too- and all he can see when he peers through the hole is bone and leftover fluid.

Bro steps back from Dave in contemplation. He can’t think of a single thing left to remove. Hell, he can’t even see anything that could be pulled out.

“I’ve emptied him, My Lord.”

“Like you were taught?”

“Yes. Like how I was taught.”

Caliborn makes a circle around Dave before he gives a sneer.

“This is how you were taught?”

Bro feels a shudder go through him. What the hell? All the organs are out, all the pieces, what else is he supposed to do?

“Get back in there and empty him,” Lord Caliborn growls. “All of him. Every little fucking morsel.”

Bro steps forwards, reaches inside, and begins to skim over the few muscles and bones inside. He scraps at whatever he can think of. Muscle, fat, the veins, the arteries, anything that will pull away from the skin. Dave shudders and writhes beneath him weakly as his body deflates without the meat and bone that Bro manages to yank out.

“Have you found it yet?”

“Not yet.” His voice sounds unsure. _‘I’m not even sure what I’m looking for,’_ he adds to himself as he tugs at Dave’s spine.

_‘Exactly.’_ The word prickles through Bro quick enough that it feels almost like his skin is ripping. “You don’t know shit about this, Dirk.”

Bro shudders at hearing his name curling off the Demon King’s tongue.

“No sir.” He abandons the spine.

“And who’s fault is that?”

“Lord Caliborn, I swear I-”

“Am I fucking talking to you, Vantas?”

Bro watches as his Daddy falls silent.

“Answer me, Dirk, who’s fault is it that you don’t know what you’re looking for?”

“My Master’s,” Bro replies. If he weren’t scared for himself he’d smirk at his sire.

Claws engulf Bro’s torso, wrapping around his shoulders and curl so that the tips dig into Bro’s chest. “Then please, enlighten me, as to why the fuck you were put in charge of your brother’s transformation?”

Bro gives a shudder as the sharp tips start to sink into him. “Because-” The nails break skin and he feels the beginning of a burn. He balls his fists and does his best to speak clearly. “Because Master Vantas was board with us,” he manages.

“Is that right Karkat? You became board?”

Bro can see fear all over Karkat’s face. There is no way for him to hide it, and if it weren’t for the burning sensation in Bro’s chest, he might have enjoyed it.

“Lord, I swear, I thought that-”

“Did you!”

“Yes, but-”

Lord Caliborn dismisses Karkat by simply turning his attention back to Bro. He leans down to murmur into his hear. “How did he teach you to destroy your brother?”

Bro swallows as fear and pain curl through him from the punctures in his body. “Did it to me and then I did it to Dave,” Bro pants as his hands flex at his sides. Karkat is glaring at him with a look he knows all too well. He would give it to him whenever he did something wrong, gave the same one to Dave, and it always ended in pain. None of what he could do compares to the simple burning running through Bro’s veins, though; eating away at him from the inside out. “He didn’t want to deal with Dave after me. Thought it was too much of a pain.”

“And here I thought you were smart, Karkat.” The claws pull out of Bro and he fights to stay upright. Even without the claws, he can feel his insides rotting away. “No wonder your brother took the title of ‘Knowledge’.”

“Lord Caliborn,” Karkat steps forwards. “I swear, I didn’t know he hadn’t completed it. If I had known I would never have-”

“If you had raked those claws of yours through this little bastard even once you would have been able to tell he was underdone.” Caliborn’s words cut through the room. “And now look at him. Saving hunters, feeling things, being fucking human. Do you realize the shit you’re in here, Karkat?”

Karkat doesn’t move to speak.

“Fix it.” Caliborn points one long, twisted claw at the demon. “Or maybe I need to remind you what it felt like to fall.”

Bro watches a shadow of something deeper than terror pass over Karkat’s face before he bows down low.

“Yes, my Lord. Forgive me my trespasses.”

“You wish,” Caliborn grunts. Then he’s gone.

A pressure leaves the room the second Lord Caliborn disappears.

Bro barely has time enjoy it before he finds a hand deep in his gut.

“I gave you one fucking job,” Karkat growls. “And you couldn’t even do that!” Bro gasps as his intestines are pulled from him and fall to the floor. He doesn't’ go to the collect them. He knows well enough not to.

“Sorry, Daddy,” he says as evenly as he can. “But I can’t tear out what I don’t know.”

Steam rolls off Karkat as he grabs Bro’s pecs. The muscle shreds under Karkat’s hands as Bro stands as still as possible. He knows Karkat’s rages all too well, and it makes the words ‘blowing off steam’ almost laughable with how much is rolling off the demon. Rotted muscle slides out of Bro where Caliborn’s nails had sunk in and Karkat pulls his fingers out in disgust.

“You piece of shit,” he bites out. “I thought you could hate him enough to finish him off, but apparently, him getting you both damned wasn’t enough.” He shoves Bro and turns back to Dave.

“Only thing I don’t hate about Dave is his ass,” Bro replies as he starts stuffing his intestines back in.

“Liar.”

“Not this time, Daddy,” Bro replies as he feels his skin start to stitch. “You’ve been in my head, you know what I feel.”

Karkat ignores him as he cards his hands through the pile of Dave’s guts.

“What happened?”

“Well you see, Daddy, a few months back, Dave-”

“The short version, Dirk, or do you want me to tear it out of your skull?”

Bro gives a shrug. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Karkat snarls.

“Dave found a toy, a hunter named John, and tried to break him. He failed.” Bro doesn’t mention his own failure. “Later he tried again, but instead of finishing him he kept playing with him. I told him he needed to die, so we went and kill him. At least I thought we had.” Bro glares down at Dave. “Stupid prick decided he wanted to keep him around so much he faked the bastards death, followed him around, and saved him from a fucking Wendigo attack. I felt something was fishy and showed up just in time to be sent back to hell by the hunters bitch cousin.”

“How did he save him?”

Bro raises an eyebrow at Karkat’s careful tone.

“Same way we keep any human alive when we want to play. Possession.”

Karkat digs his fingers deep into Dave’s eye socket. “Was it only once?”

Bro shrugs. “Hell if I know. He might have done it when he faked the guy's death.”

Karkat shoves his finger deep into Dave’s skull. Dave’s body bucks and shudders. Bro wonders what Dave would feel like around his dick when he jerked like that.

“I need you to do something for me,” Karkat says as he pulls his finger out. Something shiny is wrapped around it, silvery and cool. Where the fuck did that come from? Bro stares at it, feels a tug, and itches to touch it. He keeps his hands to himself.

“What’s that?”

Karkat ignores him.

“That meal you dragged me away from for this,” Karkat replies as he looks at the little thing. “I need you to tell him our deals are off.”

Bro raises a brow. “You letting someone go?”

Karkat clutches his hand around whatever he is holding. He gives it a tug, but it doesn’t pull out of Dave.

“No,” Karkat replies as he turns with a sharp grin. Bro swallows at the look. It’s been a long time since he saw that kind of excitement on the demon’s face. “My brother’s not the only one who knows how to spin a deal, Dirk,” he adds as he gives another tug. Again the silvery thing doesn’t pull away.

Dave’s mouth tries to create words as the line is tugged. The silver thing in Karkat’s hand wriggles between Karkat’s fingers; it looks stretched so thin it might snap.

“Tell me what that is first.”

He expects a snarl but instead gets a look of strange glee.

“Something that doesn’t belong to Dave,” Karkat replies. “And I think I know just the adrenaline junky this belong to.” Bro watches Karkat lean down to like a line of the silvery thing. An odd, almost pleasured smile crosses Karkat’s face before he turns back to Bro.

“Here.” A scroll appears from the steam off his body. “Article 413.”

Bro takes the scroll and lets it fall open.

“Sollux Captor huh? That’s what that little slice is called?” Bro licks his lips. “He smelled good.”

The sudden claw around his throat is tight. While Karkat is shorter, it is effortless for him to raise Bro a good inch off the floor.

“You touch my meal and I’ll make sure you remember how it feels to hang.”

Bro lifts his hands in mock surrender before Karkat drops him to his feet.

“Whatever you say, Daddy,” he murmurs as Karkat turns back to Dave. “Whatever you say.”

“And Dirk,” Karkat adds before Bro leaves. “Try and get topside with him. I want you out of here as soon as possible.”

Bro gives a smirk. “Sure thing. Though if he wants something carnal in trade for me to get out I doubt I’ll be saying no.”

Karkat glares at him. “Fine.But the second you touch earth and fulfill whatever deal you make you’re to go find our little hunter.”

Bro grins.

“You want his heart?”

“No,” Karkat replies with as he gives the shining thing a tug hard enough to pull Dave up with it. “I want more of this.” Again it doesn’t come loose. Karkat lets it go and it snaps back into Dave’s shell. “So don’t hurt him, just find him.”

Bro scowls.

Karkat rolls his eyes. “I’ll let you do whatever you want to him after I’m through with him, but for now, do what you’re told.”

“Alright, alright,” Bro runs his hand through his hair before allowing smoky shades to settle on his face. “Whatever you say, Daddy.” He evaporates just before Dave’s pancreas can nail him in the face. By the time he’s arrived back in Karkat’s realm Dave is just a distant thought as he goes to find Sollux. It’s not every day a demon breaks a deal on purpose after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I look at stuff like this, cock my head to the side, and say, 'Maybe I need help.' Then I finish a bottle of wine and go to bed.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, a huge thanks to all of those who helped me beta!!!
> 
> See y'all next Wednesday!


End file.
